


Breathe for Me

by Deliahscrush2003



Series: Breathe for Me [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anchors, Anxiety Disorder, Art, Canon Compliant, Crushes, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Healthy Relationships, Hugs, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mental Health Issues, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Multi, Music, Out of Character, POV Derek Hale, POV Isaac Lahey, POV Original Character, Panic Attacks, Parent-Child Relationship, Prologue, Protective, References to Canon, Romance, Season/Series 01, Semi-Sane Peter Hale, Slow Burn, Swearing, Teenagers, Threats of Violence, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:28:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 106,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23666131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deliahscrush2003/pseuds/Deliahscrush2003
Summary: Vanessa O'Connor thought she was going to end the sophomore year with a few improvements to herself. Better style, a half-serious consideration for therapy and the perks of her newly earned license.That is, until she hit Derek Hale with her car.Now her best friend is a werewolf, her other best friend is going off the rails about how to help him, the new girl comes from a family of hunters out to kill her said werewolf best friend and there's a psycho Alpha werewolf out picking off the citizens of Beacon Hills that's set on recruiting his newfound Beta into his murder pack.And all of this just happened to occur at the same time as her meeting with the cute boy in her Art class. Of course it did.Good thing she has an open mind, semi-tolerant attitude towards being dragged into drama and a knack for making wild guesses otherwise she wouldn't last to the next full moon. Some would mark it up to pure luck. Vanessa would say it was pure genius and sexual prowess but who's to say, really?
Relationships: Allison Argent & Original Female Character(s), Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Derek Hale & Original Female Character(s), Erica Reyes & Original Female Character(s), Isaac Lahey/Original Female Character(s), Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski & Original Female Character(s), Vanessa O'Connor/Isaac Lahey
Series: Breathe for Me [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704037
Comments: 49
Kudos: 67





	1. Crashing Into A Gateway

The backroads of Beacon Hills were covered with an eerie fog, that in addition to the darkness night brought, made it especially difficult for someone to see where they were going. Specifically, someone who was blinder than a bat and needed the sounds of car horns to know when she was in the wrong lane. Vanessa O’Connor was that special someone and by the Gods, was she a dumbass.

“Watch it, dickface!” she screamed as a car swerved around the silver Ford, “Jesus Christ! Where did these people get their license from? A cereal box?!”

This was coming from someone who only got her provisional license two months beforehand and had to wear prescription glasses to see 5ft ahead of her. Luckily for her, she knew the Sheriff since she was born, and he had allowed her to pass the test if he taught her how to drive. This way he knew who to put an APB out on when someone wounded up dead from a hit and run. 

Vanessa waved one hand erratically in front of her, as if by the simple gesture she could make the fog disappear, “Just my night.” 

She was on her way to a friend’s house when a traffic jam in town blocked all the main roads for at least an hour. And she just did not have the patience for that sort of thing. So here she was, along with a few smart bastards that were all in a rush to get back home. Even chancing a swerve around lil’ ole’ Nessa O’Connor. They all had a **death wish **.****

********

The agitated brunette hit the accelerator, flipping the bird at all the cars as she sped past them and down the darkened lane. She grinned wickedly to herself as she turned forward just as something crashed into her car, sending it spinning out of control. Her world went spinning alongside it as her screams filled the small metallic space. Glass shattered and the tires screeched to a sudden stop sending her head into the window. 

********

Her body stilled for a moment before she groaned out. 

********

“What the fuck, man?” 

************ ** **

Vanessa looked around, her vision blurred and taking a moment before beginning to focus. A sharp pain began growing at the side of head and as she gingerly touched around, her fingers coming back red and sticky with blood. 

************ ** **

“Fuck,” she hissed, unclipping her belt and taking a look around the car for the random bit of clothing she usually had lying about. Her eyes caught a red, school issued sweatshirt with white block letters that read ‘Beacon Hills Cyclones’ printed on the front. Picking it up and bringing it to dab gently at where she suspected the injury was, she took in the carnage that was the hood of her car. 

************ ** **

_Mom is never going to let me hear the end of this._

************ ** **

____

************ ** **

A deep groan that definently did not come from her, came from the front of her car and she felt her heart shudder in her chest. 

************ ** **

____

************ ** **

_Oh shit, did I hit someone?_

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead. Or maybe just a little amnesiac so you don’t sue the hell out of me,” the girl muttered erratically as she pushed open the car door. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She stumbled out in a daze, the blood rushing around in her head and causing her to go slightly weak at the knees before she recovered to lean against the side of her car. When she looked down, she found small rips in her jeans where the glass had cut through and glinted dangerously back from pierced skin. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Ah shit,” she groaned, her eyes narrowing in pain and anger at whatever lay beyond her hood, “You’re gonna wish you were dead, you son of a bitch.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She used the hood for balance as she crept around to the front of the car, cringing at the twist metal and the huge dent that would earn her a right real lecture and a grounding for a month or two. The girl peered around the wreck to see the unlucky person who was a casualty of her cursed driving. The sight that greeted her would have been pretty hot if he wasn’t lying on the road with a bloody gash across his forehead. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Well, hello handsome,” she drawled, her words slipping out from her due to the lack of filter and her own obvious head injury. The man stared up at her through lidded eyes, dazed from the impact. He looked to be in his early 20s, with dark hair and eyes. He had a bit of stubble coming in on his face and his shirt rode up to reveal olive skin and abs that looked like they had been chiseled by the god Hephaestus himself. Because that was obviously what was most important right now. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“What……happened?” he groaned out, his voice rough and low. Vanessa leaned against the wreckage and dabbed at her wound with the sweatshirt, glaring at him like this was all his fault. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“What happened, buddy, is you jumped in front of my car. And you’re paying for damages, by the way.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The man grunted as he hefted himself up, rubbing at his brow and sighing when it came back with blood, “More like your car came out of nowhere. What happened to the speeding laws around here?” “ 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

"Eh,” she shrugged sheepishly, turning to get a better look at him, “Are you alright? No broken bones or anything?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He threw her a raised eyebrow, “Want to know if I’m going to sue you?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa chuckled nervously, her eyes darting around looking for anything to focus on other than him, “You heard that huh?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The guy sighed again and got to his feet, causing her to step forward in concern. “Hey dude, you just got hit by a car, okay? Maybe take it easy.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He waved her off, “I’m fine.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He breathed in and caught a familiar metallic scent, his eyes narrowing and inspecting her until he caught the blood stains on the sweatshirt. He made his way over to her, “You, on the other hand, are hurt.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She scrunched up her nose at him, “Yeah, the back of my head got dented pretty good.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He didn’t seem to like that answer a lot and seemed to be having an internal conflict. He sighed again, for like the fourth time, and rubbed a hand across his face, “Get in the car. I’m taking you to the hospital.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“No fucking way,” she screeched, causing him to flinch back in shock, “If anything, you should be the one getting checked out considering I HIT you. Remember?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The man growled, “Just get in the car.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“NO,” she repeated, crossing her arms in front of her chest, “My mom’s a nurse there. If I come in with blood on me, a wrecked car and with a strange man at the same time, she will flip.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Look,” he grounded out through gritted teeth, obviously fed up with her excuses, “If your mother is a nurse than you should know that an injury to the head is a bad thing and must be checked out.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Thanks, but I rather risk brain damage and the like than go see my mom.” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“You’re an actual child, you know that right?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Her lips curved into a crooked grin as she nodded enthusiastically back at him. If she didn’t know better, she would have claimed she had seen a slight twitch of his lips before his face returned to his default sullen look. He glanced at the car and then back at her, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“How about a compromise?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa’s ears pricked up at the word and she stared up at him with open curiosity, “I’m listening.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“I won’t take you to the hospital, but your head needs to be bandaged up. Let me drive you to my house, I’ll patch it up and will drive you back home.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

It was at that moment, two things came particularly obvious to her. One, she was currently in a dark street with a strange man and she read the news and watched too many movies to know that plot line like the back of her hand. On the other hand, she was willing to risk brain damage than face her mother so in true Vanessa logic, she could risk going to a strange man’s house in the middle of the night. If push came to shove, she could always run him over with her car again.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Fine,” she relented, self-preservation instincts momentarily fried, “But if you try to murder me or something like that, I will make you wish you had been killed.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“So, I’ve heard,” he muttered quietly, but not so quietly that she didn’t miss the smart-ass comment.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She climbed into the passenger’s side of the car, “Is it safe for us to drive this anyway?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“No,” he replied, ignoring her blanch at the answer, “But I live just up the road so we should be fine.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“That’s what they all say,” she snarked, cringing when she pressed the sweatshirt into her injury, “Hey, what’s your name anyway?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She thought he was going to ignore her as he turned the keys and started the car, but then he heard him say quietly, as if to himself, “Derek. Derek Hale.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

-

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Please tell me this is not where you actually live.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Her eyes were trained on the burnt down building and she was struck with the memory of her Mom telling her about the Hale family, and how they all died in a fire about six years ago. She felt her body stiffen at the realization and her heart beat faster in her chest.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Relax,” Derek bit out from beside her, already taking the keys out of the ignition and holding them up for her, “Yes, I’ve only just came back so until I decide if I want to fix it up or move out completely, I’m crashing here.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Her face reddened in embarrassment, “Sorry. Abandoned building and all.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He fixed her with a look before throwing the keys in her lap, “Come on. I’m sure your parents want you home before midnight.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa frowned, whipping out her phone from her pocket and coming face to face with ten notifications from Stiles wondering where the hell she was and the time showing it was about one hour before she would get the biggest lecture of her life.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She scrambled out of the car and jogged to catch up to him, “So you’re a Hale?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Yes.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“And your family is the one –“

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Yes.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“How did you –“

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Me and my sister were at school when it happened. Everyone else was home.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Oh,” she shut her mouth, knowing that he probably didn’t want her asking questions about his dead family and all. Insensitive subject and that. Again, that lack of filter made it especially hard for someone to spend about thirty seconds around her without wanting to gag her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa came to a stop at the steps and sat down. Derek stopped and peered down at her curiously, “What are you doing?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She sighed and turned to look up at him, “Look dude, I know you want me out of your hair and probably don’t want someone else over in the house your family died in so I’m going to wait out here.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The man frowned at her before opening the door and disappearing inside. It was cold out, she realized as she slid the sweatshirt over her head, her face scrunching up in disgust when looked down to find the dark stains that covered the bottom. She distracted herself by looking out into the woods that surrounded the house, and the harder she looked, the more things she noticed. The fact that the previously silent night was broken into the sounds of twigs and branches being broken. Or the fact that all the bird and animals of the forest moved and made shadows.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Or the fact a pair of glowing red eyes peered back out of the shadows at her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Her hand flew to her mouth to silence the scream building up in her throat as she scrambled backwards to the door. She didn’t take her eyes off the woods as the eyes crept closer until they were sitting at the tree line, just a few feet from where her car was parked. The door flew open and she jumped back, yelping into her hand before she realized it was Derek standing beside her, his eyes also trained on the trees. The eyes were gone.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He glanced at her, “What’s wrong?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa let out a breath, her back sagging against the wall, “I was seeing things. Scared myself.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Derek’s jaw clenched as he looked from the tree to back at her, “What did you see exactly?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Red eyes. Like glowing red eyes,” she laughed, trying to deal with the bundle of nerves that grew inside her, “Like I said, I was seeing things.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Her eyes darted down to the first aid box in his hand, “Alright, time to bandage me up.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She perched herself on the rotting wooden post and waited for Derek to get the bandages out. She watched as he pulled out a bottle, presumably some rubbing alcohol, and busied herself with watching the woods from the corner of her eye. The thing with Vanessa O’Connor was that she wasn’t stupid. Having parents who were a nurse and a deputy respectively would make any kid smarten up. She knew about the string of animal attacks that their little town were quite infamous for. They had quietened down a bit since she was younger, but they had started up again that summer. Stiles had sent both her and Scott a text saying his dad had just went out because dispatch called in another animal attack. Her friend, Stiles, was a sucker for any sort of mystery and she had to admit that growing up, it had rubbed off on her. Her other best friend, Scott, was usually dragged along because he didn’t have anything better to do. Honestly, she didn’t either.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Hey,” Derek’s voice snapped her out of her thinking and her watch on the now silent trees, “You’re not going to pass out on me, are you?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“No,” she replied quietly, turning her eye behind her, “Did you know that a girl was found dead because of an animal attack tonight?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The hand that brushed her hair away so he could see the wound stilled and she heard a sharp intake of breath before he replied, “How did you know that?” 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

_Interesting. He doesn’t sound surprised. Or weirded out by the obviously weird question._

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he continued to wipe away the blood from her wound, “My friend is the son of the Sheriff. He texted me and told me.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Is that what teenagers talk about these days?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“No, just us. We’re fun like that,” she winked, and saw that twitch once more.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Alright,” he stepped back, so he could look at her, “It’s cleaned now, but I need to put a patch over it. Your parents will definently see it but it’s the best I can do unless you want that trip to the hospital.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“That’s fine, thank you. No hospital for me,” Vanessa smiled gratefully at him, watching as he went back to the box to get the patch, “If anything it’s the werewolf that I’m worried about.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

His shoulders stiffened and he went still. 

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

_Well shit, I didn’t actually expect him to be one. That was one hell of a guess._

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“What did you just say?” he said in a low and dangerous voice.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“I mean, whoever it is, they’re going to need a serious stitch up if the Sheriff’s Department track it down and shoot a few rounds. I heard shotguns hurt like a bitch.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa watched in amusement as Derek stood up straight, “Who are you?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“You are seriously not going to believe this but I’m literally a sixteen-year-old girl who is almost in her junior year and is just really smart.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“How did you figure it out?” She huffed when she noticed he was content with just standing there with his back to her and marched over, snatching the patch out of his hand and using the window to see if she was putting it on right.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“One, I watched you smell the blood on me, two, you survived a collision into a speeding car and three, I literally spent the car ride hear watching the gash on your head sew itself back together. So, I knew you were something. I took a wild guess with werewolf.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

When Vanessa was done gloating about how smart and observant she was, she realized that Derek had started growling and turned to find him staring at her with glowing, cobalt blue eyes. When he sneered at her, white fangs glinted back at her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Hunter,” he growled, readying himself to lunge at her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa, who was really just a smart girl who read too much fantasy bullshit, widened her eyes, “There’s hunters too? Wow, shit I got to write this down. Or wait, can you send me a list of stuff?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Derek seemed to grow confused by this because the glow in his eyes flicked off and he straightened up once more, “What the hell are you going on about?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The girl was to engulfed in her ramblings to notice this pause, “What was up with your face? Can you turn into an actual wolf? Do all wolves have pretty eyes? Were you born or bitten? Because I’ve always wondered if werewolves could be born-“

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“You’re really just a normal girl, aren’t you?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She stopped, frowning up at him, “Um rude. I’m not normal. I’m clearly a genius. How many people go up to you and make out you’re a werewolf after only interacting with you for half an hour, huh? Not a lot!”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“How do you know –“

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“About werewolves? I didn’t,” she smirked, as if proud of her one in a million guess, “I’m just not arrogant to assume that we are the most intelligent, primates out there. And I’m not as arrogant as to think science is the answer to everything. So of course, I’ve always believed there was something out there just not specifically what. But werewolves have always been a favorite study of mine and I secretly hoped out of all the legends about mythological creatures, your kind would be the ones that actually existed.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“You’re serious?” he quirked an eyebrow at her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She nodded at him enthusiastically. “Yep. Don’t worry, I know the drill. Tell anyone and I’m dead. I’m not stupid, I know that there is some scientist out there that would love to have someone like you in his lab. Lucky for you, I’m the type that would rather free imprisoned test subjects rather than benefit from them. I do not support animal testing.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa patted down the patch on her head and started down the stairs towards the car, her eyes on the woods, “Hey, Derek? Was there something in the woods earlier? Are they with you? Because if not, I would feel really safe if you could just come stand beside me right now.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She swore she could see the look on his face, the one that was convinced she was an escapee from that mental institution Eichen House and waited for his steps to grow closer. She felt his warmth at her shoulder and eyed the tree line, “So, who was it? Friend or foe?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Derek didn’t say anything. Then again, he did that a lot, she noticed. Instead he jerked his head to the car.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Let’s get you home.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

The picture of a nice, hot shower appeared in her head and she sighed dreamily, “Yes, please. It’s cold and I’m covered in bruises and scratches and grime. Gods, what a night this has been! Hit a guy with my car, the guy is a werewolf and is now driving me home.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa pulled open the door and hopped in, pulling her phone out to check the time, “Shit, it’s almost 12. And I forgot to tell my friends I wasn’t going to make it.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She made to type out a text to Stiles, knowing he would tell Scott what happened but before she could, she had her phone snatched from her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

He fixed her with a cold look, “You cant tell your friends what you discovered tonight. Not about me. Not about any of it.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She returned his look in equal measure, “Uh duh, I’m not an idiot. I already told you I wouldn’t. I’m not the type of girl who would do that.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“No, just the type of girl who would speed down the street like a maniac, go to a stranger’s house in the middle of the night and accuse him of being a werewolf,” he snarked back at her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa held her hand up, offended by his accusations, “Firstly, it was your idea to bring me back to your house so don’t go giving me shit about that, secondly, I was right about you being a werewolf so don’t act so innocent and thirdly, are you upset that I ran you over? Because may I remind you that it takes two to participate in a car accident and that is the person driving the car and the person that walked into the car.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa knew that was not how people “participated” in car accidents. But she was a woman, or girl, scorned, so logic had no place in this argument. Derek also realized this and probably came to the realization there wasn’t any reasoning where this girl was concerned, and instead did what he always did. He turned forward, clutching her phone with one hand and the steering wheel with the other. She stared at him the whole time, waiting for her phone to be given back to her.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“You’re not getting your phone back until we’re at your house.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“But why?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Because that way, if you try to tell anyone anything, I have leverage.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa outwardly sighed as if this was predictable, but inwardly, her heart sped up and she knew now that with his enhanced hearing, Derek could tell his threat landed.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Fine. But I was telling the truth when I told you I won’t tell anyone. Who would I tell anyway? Everyone will think I’m a fucking lunatic.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Almost everyone.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She jerked her head back at him, “What do you mean? Are there people in town who would know about you?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

She recalled their earlier conversation where he almost attacked her (yes, she noticed and quiet frankly was mildly concerned) and remembered what he called her. “Hunters?” her eyes widened, checking with him to see if she was correct, “Are those the people your talking about?”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

Derek didn’t reply and kept his eyes on the road. Kind of like what Vanessa should have been doing earlier that night but that didn’t quiet set with her. Instead, road safety was not on her mind and she immediately concluded that Derek was ignoring her on purpose. After meeting him, that was probably what he was doing. Vanessa didn’t let his silence stop her from throwing out her theories, keeping one eye out for when his body language changed so she could tell if she was getting closer to a definite answer. It was one of her favorite games to play, Hot or Cold. She was a champion at it because either way, she would be getting an answer.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Hunters. From the name I can assume their your typical ‘track you down and kill you’ kind of people. If I had to assume, they’re human,” she wondered out loud and bit back a smile when she saw his jaw clench slightly, “And probably a long-time enemy of your kind. The thing I’m not sure is if they are an organization, family or individuals who take the name when they want revenge. Those are the tropes I’m used to anyway.”

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **

“Tropes?” his low voice said incredulously. “Yeah,” she nodded, stealing another glance at him before realizing he had no clue what she was talking about, “Tropes are like stereotypes, or more accurately genre’s. Except their categories for different things, not just movies. Like different people, groups or even people’s lives.” “For example,” she continued, leaning back into the car seat, “I would be that girl in a sci-fi movie that just discovered a new world or new way of looking at the world. There’s two tropes that come to mind. The ‘stumbled into the world without meaning to’ and the ‘went out looking for something they have always believed is out there’. Now, like I said before, I’m not a normal girl so I’m kind of a messy combination of the both. My trope would be ‘girl literally crashes into her gateway into the new world and takes wild guesses until she is clued in in a dramatic introduction’.”

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Vanessa turned to find Derek looking at her with a deadpan expression on his face, “I am not a gateway.”

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She rolled her eyes at him, “It’s a metaphor.”

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“Right.”

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They went back to her sitting there, waiting for him to give her an explanation and to him keeping his eyes forward and his mouth shut.

************ ** **

______ _ _

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Unbeknownst to the girl beside him, Derek was thinking about many different things. Mainly about how careless he had been, letting her see him heal like that and not realizing. He had always been impulsive like that and always promised himself he would be more careful. But no, just like with the others, he let his guard down and now he was paying for it. Albeit, this was a less severe consequence than what had happened in the past but still, he was not a fan of this one either. She had not shut up since he met her and the quietest she got was when she was looking out into the woods when he was cleaning her wound up. Like she knew that something, or someone, was out there listening to them both. She was only a slight thing, coming up to his shoulders with unruly hair and blue eyes that blinked up at him in a way that resembled a naïve doe.

************ ** **

______ _ _

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Except she was no doe and she was not naïve. She may claim it was a wild guess, but she still knew too much. Is it possible that she was just getting all her information from science fiction and fantasy and just took a giant leap from there? Or was there something going on? He could tell she wasn’t lying. Her heart was true and steady when she promised she wouldn’t tell anyone. Besides he had other concerns than a short, eccentric and talkative teenage girl. Like what she saw in that woods. And why he was back in Beacon Hills in the first place.

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-

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“We’re here.” Vanessa frowned and noticed the familiar driveway up into her house.

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She slowly turned to Derek. “How did you know where I lived?”

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He sighed at her, before pulling a piece of paper out from the glove box, “It’s on your registration.”

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“You went snooping in my car?!”

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“Of course, I went snooping in your car,” he replied in frustration, “you’re a strange girl that knew what I was. I had to make sure you weren’t a hunter.”

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______ _ _

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“Oh my god, Derek,” she threw herself back into her seat and cringed when her injured head smacked against it, “I didn’t even know if werewolves actually existed before I asked you. I was actually just making a joke, but you sold yourself out, man.”

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Her eyes caught onto her phone, that he still held in his hand. She pointed at it, “Can I have my phone back now?”

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______ _ _

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Derek looked at her phone and to her. She rolled her eyes and began whining. “Come on. Look, if I don’t answer, they’ll think something bad happened to me. Stiles will call his dad, who will call my moms and we will have the whole Department on our asses because you have “trust issues”. So, give me my phone or everyone will find you. Not you, Mr. Werewolf but you, Mr. Strange Man with an Injured Girl whose phone you’ve kept from her.”

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He frowned at her and tossed it into her lap, “You’re really something. You know that right?”

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“Yes,” she sighed, scrawling through her texts and reassuring her friends that she was alright but couldn’t make it due to getting into an accident, “…. because I saw a cute baby squirrel and didn’t want to run over it.”

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She clicked send and turned to face Derek and his unamused face. “Oh, come on, do you have a sense of humor?”

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He continued giving her that look that clearly said Does it look like I have a sense of humor?

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Vanessa grimaced at him in faux pity, “We’re going to have to fix that. Give me your phone.”

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“No. Why?”

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“Because if I need to contact you or anything, I have your number. And if you need to call me to threaten me some more, you have mine.”

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“Why would you need my number?”

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“Look,” she sat forward, and for once was perfectly serious when she spoke again, “I know you’re looking for something. Something related to those attacks. I got connections to the Sheriff’s office. Information that you won’t have access to unless you want to become a part of Beacon Hill’s finest.”

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He brought his face close and growled lowly, “How do you know that I wasn’t one responsible for the animal attack.”

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Vanessa wasn’t scared. She didn’t doubt herself or her suspicions for a moment as she whispered back, “Because you have only just returned to town. And this is not the first attack that’s been happening recently.”

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Derek looked her in her eyes, staring her down. She won, and he drew back to lean tiredly against the back of his seat, “That trusting nature of yours is going to be the death of you.”

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She gazed at him with solemn eyes and gave him a wry smile, “That’s where your wrong about me, Hale. It’s not trust. It’s a bluff. And I’m sitting here hoping no one calls it.”

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Her serious demeanor disappeared before the last word left her mouth as she flashed him a winning smile before climbing out of her car. She leaned down to look at him through her window. “I want my car back by the end of the week, good as new. You hear me?”

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He stared at her for a moment before backing out of her driveway. She kept an eye on the car until it disappeared down the lane, before smiling to herself. Because once again, she caught a ghost of a smile on Derek Hale’s lips.

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I wonder what his actual smile looks like.

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It would probably scare the living shit out of me.

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As the girl walked up to the house, she braced herself. It wasn’t going to be as bad as if she had driven to the hospital with a stranger covered in blood. No, she only came in with a patch and with no car. A million excuses came to mind and she had about thirty seconds to craft a really good one that not even a deputy could poke holes in. Taking a deep breath, she plastered a happy smile on her face and hyped herself up as she opened the front door.

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“Favorite daughter has entered the building,” Vanessa announced, stepping inside with a flourish and closing the door behind her, “I repeat, favorite daughter has entered the building.”

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She heard the sounds of pots and pans clashing in the kitchen and knew that dinner was almost ready from the smell of roast chicken and potatoes that wafted through the house.

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“Kiddo, you’re our only daughter,” her mom called from the kitchen.

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Vanessa leaned against the staircase post and popped her head around the corner, “And therefore, I am more precious than if I had siblings?”

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A woman with long, dark curly hair and tan skin sent a smile over her shoulders, laugh lines creasing around soft brown eyes. She had probably come home early that day and had time to change out of her uniform, something that occurred only once in a blue moon. Usually, Vanessa would relish the time she could spend with her mom, since being a deputy meant that the hours were long and hard and by the time she came home, she almost always wanted to just go to bed. Sarah O’Connor turned her attention back to the roast that she was carrying to the bench, but her strong voice could be heard as Vanessa made to continue up the stairs.

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“Did you have fun with the boys tonight?” She stopped in her tracks and took a deep breath.

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Time to unleash the bullshit artist.

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“About that,” the girl laughed nervously, “Funny story. I got a flat tire on the way over and had to call a tow truck.”

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A deep sigh came from below her and she cringed internally. “Didn’t you learn anything when I tried to teach you to change a flat?”

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“That’s also a funny thing. Because as I recall it, there was this very beautiful butterfly that flitted past and God, I just got so caught up in it- “

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“I get it,” her mom called back, her tone one of unsurprised disappointment, “You weren’t paying attention. Oh well, that just means I’ll have to try again. Tomorrow sound good?”

************ ** **

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Internally groaning in loathing at how her mom could find a million ways to come out on the winning side of a conversation, Vanessa kept up her cheer as she sent her mom a weak thumbs up.

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“Sounds great, looking forward to it,” she said, sarcasm thick in her voice as she continued up the stairs, “Oh and I’ll get the car back before the end of the week.”

************ ** **

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“Alright but you’re paying for it.”

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Vanessa grinned wickedly. She wasn’t paying a single cent. That was on Derek Hale.

************ ** **

______ _ _

************ ** **


	2. The Bitten and the Bystanders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day back at school and everybody is as enthusiastic about it as a bunch of teenagers could ever be about returning to that cess pit of demon spawn and pack mentality.
> 
> Good thing some of our characters will be able to adjust accordingly with the status quo, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a few things that I would like to clarify:  
> \- Allison and Vanessa share more than just English and Art. For future references, they share everything except Psych, Chem, French and Swimming. Also they have different free periods. I know, I know, none of you care just in case anyone wanted to get on me about something, just letting you know.  
> \- Vanessa has known certain characters for different points of time due to either being in different classes or just not running in the same circles.  
> 1\. Scott and Stiles (since they were babies - Noah Stilinski is her godfather while Melissa McCall is her godmother)  
> 2\. Lydia Martin and Jackson Whittemore(since third grade)  
> 3\. Erica Reyes (since freshmen year because they were in different classes in middle school and junior high)  
> 4\. Allison Argent (present or sophomore year if you want to be technical about it).  
> \- Also the italics and boldness to signal perspectives, internal monologue or flashbacks is a bit of a mess for this chapter but I will work on it as the story progresses. It's my first time not just writing and sharing a fic but actually posting it on the sight so please bear with me x

There were some people who liked to beep the car horn once to let you know they were waiting for you outside. Stiles Stilinski was one of those people that liked to beat the ever-loving shit out of the car horn to make sure you didn’t forget he existed. 

It was half past seven in the fucking morning but unfortunately, Stiles lacked appropriate timing. Vanessa O’Connor sent a small prayer out to all those who were planning to sleep in today. 

Think again Beacon Hills. 

The annoyed girl threw open her window and stuck her head out to glare at the blue jeep in her driveway and the idiot who was behind the wheel. 

**“WE GET IT YOU’RE HERE. JUST GIVE ME A GODDAMN MINUTE."**

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She slammed the window shut, effectively blocking out his shouted reply and turned her focus on her wardrobe. She was a girl and she had priorities – like making sure that she didn’t look like shit for her first day back since Christmas break. 

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Vanessa wasn’t the type to throw clothes around the room like an undecisive crackhead. She knew what she wanted, had the look set in her mind and didn’t waste time. Although, just for revenge for the alarm clock that was Stiles, she took longer to do her hair than she normally would. If he was going to bitch about it, she would just tell him that she got her period. That would shut him up good and gold. 

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She pulled out a green and silver tartan skirt and a white blouse that she had recently brought. Because she wasn’t a total dumbass, she also made sure to find some black, knee high socks and a black leather jacket that she was given on her birthday. Throwing her soft brown curls into a ponytail, she grabbed her bag and went downstairs. Both her parents were awake and running around, frantically trying to get their food and be off to work. 

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Her other mother, Lisa, was in her blue scrubs and had her hair up in a dark bun that sat at the nape of her neck and the girl watched as the older women kissed each other on the cheek before separating to get the toast that had sprung up from the machine in the corner. 

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People asked her a lot if it was difficult having two mothers. The first time someone asked her that, she thought they were confused because they didn’t know if she called them Mom and Mom or whatever. She didn’t know that kids could be dickheads by the age of ten and just shrugged. 

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“I call them both Mom,” she had replied nonchalantly with a shrug, before returning to her doodles. 

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When she had told them about it, they exchanged a look before cuddling her tightly to them and muttering on and on about how adorable she was. Clearly, all that ‘she’s adorable’ got to her head because now she walks around like she’s all that. 

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With the way she was dressed today though, you had to admit, she did look all that. 

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“As soon as hurricane mothers passes, I’m going to get my toast and head out,” she drawled lazily, grinning as their faces brightened up from the doorway. 

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“Morning!” they echoed, smiling at each before stopping their erratic motions so that the girl could get through. 

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“Morning,” she smirked at them, giving a kiss on the cheek to them both before plucking her toast and making to leave, “Love you!” 

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“Love you too!” they called back, laughing afterwards for once again being in sync. Vanessa shook her head at the dork dressed up as adults as she flung open the door and popped the piece of toast in her mouth. 

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As she strolled down the driveway, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the morning sun on her face and the sweet chill of January air. The way the warm toast felt in her mouth and how good she felt in her new outfit – 

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**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

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Her eyes flew open at the offending sound and the wistful smile vanished from her face replaced by a murderous scowl. The rude interruption of her morning peace was once again Stiles, who was half hanging out from his window and frowning at her from where his face leant against his car door. 

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“You take so long,” he whined, dragging his face up and into his car, “What were you doing in there? The macarena?” 

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She gave him a condescending look, “That made zero sense and if you must know, I got my period so if you want to lose a nut, keep bitching.” 

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He held up his hands as she climbed in beside him, “Well, okay then. Thanks for the heads up.” 

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She flashed him a sickeningly sweet smile, “Don’t mention it.” 

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The boy turned to the front and started up his car, looking over his shoulder to reverse, “Yes ma’am.” 

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Vanessa pulled down the mirror and started to put on some chapstick, knowing that the cool air would damage her lips severely this time of year. Stiles glanced at her, seemingly bursting at the seams to tell her something but her earlier comment about losing a nut was obviously weighing down on him. She kept him waiting for several minutes as she switched to doing her mascara and eyeliner before giving him the side eye and saw that his face went several shades of red from restraint alone. 

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She rolled her eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh, “Go ahead.” 

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Exhaling in an equally dramatic way, he began speaking a hundred miles an hour – something that Vanessa clearly could not keep up with in a safe or healthy manner. 

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“Slow down – all of that is crashing my inner Stiles google translator,” she snarked, finishing up on darkening her eyes and holding two hands up in the universal calm down sign. 

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“Right,” he blinked, ignoring her taunt and making a clear effort to break up his tirade, “Remember how I texted you last night saying my dad got a call about a dead body found in the woods? Like the other one that had happened just a few weeks earlier?” 

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“Yeah – sorry that I couldn’t make it, by the way. That darn squirrel just had to be cute. They’re a menace to California drivers everywhere,” Vanessa explained, her voice mockingly sorrowful. 

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“Uh huh,” Stiles continued as if she hadn’t spoken up, “That’s fine. Scott and I went out to look for the body– “ 

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“As most teenagers do on a Sunday night –“ 

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“Right! But we got split up because we were trying to dodge my dad and his deputies who were also looking for the body –“ 

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“As is in the job description for the Sheriff’s department –“ 

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“Exactly,” he sighed, his mouth tightening at the side as he turned the corner, “So naturally, the plan to dodge my dad didn’t go so well because I kind of ran into one of their dogs. Dad dragged me back to the jeep and literally watched me pull out because I told him that Scott was at home.” 

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Vanessa frowned, turning slowly to face him as a unsettling feeling sunk into her chest, “Where was Scott when you were driving away?” 

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Stiles sheepishly turned away from his friend’s increasingly judgmental face and mumbled something that she couldn’t quiet catch. 

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“Stiles? Where was Scott?” 

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He mumbled some more, which of course made the ever-agitated girl even more annoyed. 

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“Stiles!” 

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“Fine! Scott was still in the woods,” he exclaimed, quickly turning to defend himself as the girl gasped in outrage, “But I had no choice! My dad wouldn’t move a muscle until my headlights were literally out of his vision. He even had a deputy follow me to make sure I didn’t stop anywhere.” 

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“Stiles!” the brunette cried, her ringlets bouncing around her as she got increasingly frantic, “He has fucking asthma! You can’t just leave him running in the woods at night alone! What would've happened if he had an attack and passed out?! He could have died!” 

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The boy scrunched up his face as if he thought she was being dramatic and waved her off. 

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“What?!” he scoffed, “He was fine. He texted me when he made it home.” 

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Vanessa raised a brow. The silent but echoed through the jeep and the girl waited for him to continue. 

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He shot quick glances at her and the road ahead of them, where they started to see classmates from their school walking along the sidewalk to the building ahead swarming with students. 

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Stiles grimaced, “He might have been attacked by a wild animal. But he is completely fine other than that –“ 

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“Ughhhhhh,” she growled, resisting the urge to shake the sense into her best friend, “I can’t believe this!” 

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“He’s coming to school,” Stiles rushed to calm her down, talking fast, “If he’s coming to school, he must be fine. Right?” 

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The girl crossed her arms over her chest and sat back with a huff. She ignored the boy’s ‘oh come on’s and stared out the window as they entered the school parking lot. She studied everybody in their jeans and hoodies and felt regret for her impulsive need to stick out like sore thumb. 

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Shut up, you look cute as hell and everybody else needs to catch the fuck up. 

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Besides you have more important things to worry about. Like the fact Scott could have died. 

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The jeep came to a stop across from the front steps and the bike racks where a familiar bicycle sat with an even more familiar boy standing next to it. She relaxed a bit at that, taking in how he stood up straight and didn’t seem to be bleeding or anything alarming like that. Maybe she had been overreacting. 

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She watched as that hardass Jackson Whittemore parked his Porsche next to Scott and rammed the door into his legs. Her friend jumped, startled and looked back in surprise. 

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Vanessa scrambled for the door handle, hurling it open and slamming it close, shutting out Stiles’ calling out for her. Her eyes were trained on where the Captain of the Lacrosse team was getting in Scott’s face, and caught the word ‘paintjob’. 

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Rolling her eyes, she stepped up next to her friend as the dark-haired boy shot a glare before heading towards the steps that led up to the front of the school. 

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“I swear to God, that guy only cares about his abs and his car,” she snarked, flashing a grin when Scott jumped again. He returned her grin with one of those heartbreakingly cute smiles, you know the ones that remind you of puppy dogs and warm hugs, before enveloping her into one of those warm hugs. 

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“Hey,” he greeted softly, pulling back to look at her in concern, “Stiles told me you were in a car accident and that’s why you didn’t come with us last night.” 

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Vanessa nodded, before playfully shoving his shoulder, “What about you, mister? Stiles also told me you got attacked by, like, an animal or something?” 

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“STILES,” their friend announced huffing, having jogged to catch up with the brunette on a mission, “is right here. Also, thanks for waiting up for me!” 

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The girl looked behind her at the jeep that was barely five meters from where they were gathered before giving Stiles a innocently quizzical look, “I thought you were right behind me?” 

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“Sure you did,” he drawled, rolling his eyes over to Scott where they immediately brightened in curiosity and excitement, “So, where were you bitten? What did it look like? Do you think it’s the same thing that killed that girl? Do you –“ 

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He was cut of abruptly when a hand closed itself over his mouth. He sent the owner of that hand an annoyed look and scowled under it when she just sent him a crooked grin back. 

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Vanessa, with her hand still over his mouth, turned to Scott with a warm smile, “Let’s head up. The bell is going to ring in ten minutes and if we’re going to be swapping stories about last night, I rather we’re as close to the doors as possible. I want to make my mad dash to home room as short as possible.” 

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Scott nodded in agreement and the girl felt it was safe to let the beast loose once more as she slowly took her hand of her friend’s mouth. She mouthed at him to give their friend one minute before pouncing on him. Stiles, in usual Stiles manner, took it seriously. Vanessa heard him counting down from sixty and felt dread fill her the closer he got to zero.

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They were just coming up the path when Stiles finished and he grabbed their friend by the shoulder to turn him around.

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“Alright,” he whispered excitedly, rubbing his hands like one would do before a good meal, “Let’s see this bad boy.”

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Scott lifted up his sweatshirt to reveal a patch, similar to the one Derek had placed on her head the night before. The wound was obviously deep, judging by the fact that it was a new patch and it had already started bleeding through. He jerked back when Stiles went to touch it, and Vanessa slapped the boys arm. Stiles yelped, grabbing his shoulder and sending her a wounded look – one she rolled her eyes at as she inspected her best friend’s injury.

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He lowered his sweatshirt and began walking, “It was too dark to see much but if I had to guess, it kind of looked like a wolf.”

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She felt her heart stop in her chest as recollections of the night before and the conversation she had with Stiles in the car flashed through her head.

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Red eyes peering out from the darkness at her.

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“How did you know?”

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“Is it friend or foe?”

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“How do you know that I wasn’t one responsible for the animal attack.”

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“Because you have only just returned to town. And this is not the first attack that’s been happening recently.”

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“He might have been attacked by a wild animal.”

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“So, where were you bitten? What did it look like? Do you think it’s the same thing that killed that girl? Do you –“

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She bit back the gasp that almost escaped her lips. If she had to assume from the miniate information she had gathered – and this was a big leap but as demonstrated, Vanessa had a knack for lucky guesses – there was something in town, probably another werewolf like Derek, that was causing the ‘animal attacks’. And if Scott and Stiles had been in same area as the last victim of those attacks, it’s possible that the creature that attacked Scott could have been the same creature causing the attacks. And if he had bitten Scott but left him alive…..

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All her knowledge that was built on science fiction and mythology – and basic common sense – merged to create a theory that could be confirmed with just one text. As Stiles insisted that there was no way a wolf could have bitten Scott, due to the known fact that wolves weren’t found in California – something that made the scenario she was thinking of that more likely – she flipped open her phone and sent a text to Derek.

****

********** **

****

_____ _

****

********** **

****

**VANESSA: **I need an answer to a question, and I need it ASAP.****

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************** ** ** **

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_______ _ _ _

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************** ** ** **

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**VANESSA: **How is one of your kind created? Are you born or bitten?****

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She shoved her phone into her purse as Scott smirked at Stiles, “Well if you don’t believe me about the wolf, then you wont believe me when I tell you I found the body.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Vanessa sighed, running a hand through her hair as she gave tired looks to the boys under lowered lashes, “Seriously?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Stiles jerked his head, shoulders moving him forward in excitement as he rose a hand forward, “Are you kidding me?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Scott shook his head, not feeling as excited as his friend as he cringed, “No, I wish. I’m going to have nightmares for a month.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The girl beside him softened and gave him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder as Stiles let out a disbelieving laughter, “That is freakin’ awesome!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The brunette shot him a scowl, but he was too fixated on someone approaching from behind them to notice. Vanessa looked over her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

_________ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“This is going to be the best thing that happened to this town, since – since the birth of Lydia Martin,” Stiles drooled, spinning around as the strawberry blonde girl strutted passed him, immersed in her own conversation while he was immersed with her, “Hey Lydia! You look…..like you’re gonna ignore me.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Scott and Vanessa smiled at their friend and his goofy play at getting his childhood crush to notice him. Stiles nodded, put off by her total obliviousness of his existence and turned around with a clenched jaw and slouched shoulders. He jerked his head at his grinning friends, “You’re the cause of this, you know?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Scott nodded, smiling in faux agreement, “Uh huh.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa hid a smile behind her hand as the bell rang behind them.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Dragging me down to your nerd depths.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Uh huh,” Scott repeated, as they climbed the steps and stepped through the doors.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“I’m a nerd by association now,” their friend joked, screwing up his nose before chuckling to himself, “I’m scarlet nerded by you.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The girl threw her head back cackling at the bad joke and shook her head at him, holding a hand up behind Scott’s back, “Alright, that one was smart. It was corny but I liked the wordplay.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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_________ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Stiles slapped his palm against hers and exclaimed, “See! _THAT’S _what I’m talking about. It’s contagious.”__

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa continued laughing, before taking in the increasingly empty hallway and sighed to herself in reluctance, “I got to run. Harris in homeroom is a fucking nightmare – especially if your late. I’ll see you guys in first!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She waved at them before sprinting around the corner to the very end of the hall, falling through the door to a full class and teacher who didn’t look surprised at all to see her standing there with messy hair and a sheepish look on her face.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Miss O’Connor,” the man drawled, his pale face and squinty eyes making him look reptilian in both looks and nature, “Thank you for gracing us with your presence. What a nice way to start of the new year.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

A crooked grin appeared on her face as she tilted her imaginary cowboy hat at him, “I aim to please, sir!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Sit down, Miss O’Connor,” he rolled his eyes at her, turning back to mark the role.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa grinned victoriously, making her way to her seat in the third row, second column from the left. If there was one teacher who was on par with her in sarcasm, it would be Harris. Well, and Coach but his was more from genuine annoyance while Harris was from a deep and malicious pleasure of making students suffer. It was teachers like Harris that made her truly wonder about people. If you hate kids so much, why did you pick teaching as your profession? Is it because you truly intended to bring pain, misery and depression to the youth of today or did something make you cold?

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa didn’t really care but she did enjoy not getting a detention straight up. Harris must have lost his game on the holidays.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She leaned back in her seat and met the eyes of one of her other best friends, Erica. She had known Erica Reyes since freshman year when they had both been without friends and without popularity. 

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Scott and Stiles had run off on her to join lacrosse so that meant lots of sitting alone at lunches. That was, until she had seen another girl taking her lunch and making a hasty exit out of the lunchroom. Having been the stalker she was, she had grown curious and had followed the girl to the third stairwell where she had watched her slide down the wall and began nibbling on her food with a look of deep sadness and loneliness. Now, Vanessa hated sad and lonely people – it just made her want to cuddle them close to her and cry alongside them. Plus, Erica had looked too miserable already and crying would have just ended with them both depressed. No, she couldn’t have that.  
Vanessa had taken her own lunch bag and climbed up the stairs, causing the blonde girl to curl in on herself in an attempt not to be noticed. She had stopped in front of her and had asked in the gentlest voice she could muster, “Can I sit with you?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Why,” Erica had whispered, eyes flitting up at her and down the stairs she came from. Like she expected others to be staring back at her. Whispering. Laughing.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa had sighed sympathetically, “Because I rather we be lonely together than be lonely by ourselves.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Erica had looked up with her big brown eyes with the slightest glimpse of hope before shuffling over to make room for the other girl. The brunette smiled kindly at her before plopping down ungracefully, taking out her lunch and placing it in front of her like a feast.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“If you’d like, you can have some of my snacks,” she had offered, dragging the paper bag and the food on it closer to the middle, “God knows I pack to much junk food and not enough real food.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The blonde’s eyes had darted from her food and back down the stairs. Vanessa remembered feeling her chest tighten at the fear and hesitation in the girl’s eyes at a simple gesture of exchanging food and had went to reassure her in a low voice, “There’s no one down there, you know. I’m kind of in the same boat as you when it comes to friends around here.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Erica had looked away and she remembered how the girl sniffed to herself before quietly replying, “You’re not but thank you anyway.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

They got to know each other after that, slowly so as to make the blonde girl more comfortable and at peace with the fact she was not out to humiliate her. She even got invited around to her house, although Erica found Vanessa’s house to be more fun and freeing. Nothing like the quiet, solemn space that she lived in.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Back in the classroom, Erica was slouched in the third row, the column closest to the wall in her signature grey hoodie and sweatpants. Her dirty blonde hair lay flat around her shoulders and tired eyes peered out from between her hands.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa gave her a small wave and a smile, one that was returned weakly by the other girl. Sympathy overcame her as she sat back in her chair to study her friend. She had been telling her how the medication to help her cope with her epilepsy made her feel worse than when she had her seizures. She found trouble falling asleep at night, her anxiety had gotten worse and her self-esteem, that was already running low on fuel already, was practically non-existent at the moment.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Internally, Vanessa was planning a sleepover that weekend where she could get the girl to relax and let loose. Maybe do some facials and paint each other’s nails. Braid each other’s hair while watching movies with hot guys. She didn’t quiet have all the details mashed out, but she knew that Erica needed something to get her out of this place she had found herself in.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She gave one last smile before facing the front, not wanting to test Harris’s patience and get that detention she was practically begging for.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

-

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“I don’t think I’m allowed out this weekend.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Gasping, Vanessa slammed her locker open and stuffed books and various stationary into her purse as she turned her head to her grimacing friend.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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“What do you mean you’re not allowed out? You’re always allowed out!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Erica shook her head, eyes drooping to look at the floor and not the crushing disappointment that her best friend was taking a bit too far, “Not this weekend. My grandparents are visiting from out of town.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The brunette pouted, zipping up her purse and shutting the locker firmly, “I had this whole sleepover planned and now it’s getting pushed back until next weekend!”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Erica’s lips twitched at her friend’s dramatics as she shrugged helplessly, “Sorry. I hope you didn’t have anything else planned.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa’s pout formed into a teasing grin, “You know I’m just messing with you. Besides, the only places I go is to school, work and Scott’s if Stiles calls us to hang out. And yours of course but that’s now out of the question.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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The blonde shook her head at her, brown eyes softening, “You can survive without me for a week.”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Gaping, Vanessa pointed in exaggeration, “Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke about me?”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Erica held her hands up, shaking her head, “Not me. I don’t joke.”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Jumping up and down, Vanessa laughed, “You just did it again!”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“You’re imagining things.”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Her heart gladdened at the playful tone as she beamed down at her friend with hope. Hope that maybe she was coming out of her shell a bit more. She wasn’t one to publicly joke around, even with her best friend, but it seems like despite the concerning glimpse she had of her earlier, Erica might be doing okay after all.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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“What do you have first?” Vanessa grinned, flipping open her notebook to find where her schedule was hiding.

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“English with Masons,” Erica replied, the grimace obvious in her voice. Her friend patted her on the shoulder as a form of comfort.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Damn, I have English with some new guy. I’ll catch you afterwards, so we can walk the library together, kay?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Alright. See you.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“See you then,” Vanessa waved, before breaking into her second jog that morning to make it to class in so she could get a good seat. Of course, Scott was already there, and naturally if Scott was there so was Stiles. She grinned at them before taking a seat behind Stiles so that if she got bored, she could look out the window for a distraction.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“How was Harris?” Stiles asked, turning around in his seat to smirk at her.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She flipped her hair over one shoulder and smirked back, “Still in love with me per usual.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Scott snorted and Stiles rolled his eyes, “Yeah right, you’re confusing love with pure hatred.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Vanessa gave a mock gasp, her hand clasping her chest in mock offense, “Take that back!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“I only speak the truth, babe!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Cuffing him in the back of his head, she turned her attention to Scott and asked him if his wound still hurt.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

He shook his head, “It’s fine. Doesn’t hurt at all actually.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The girl frowned at him but didn’t get the chance to question him more before the teacher came in and began the lesson by discussing the thing that was on nobody’s minds at all – except well maybe hers, Stiles and Scott’s. But mostly Stiles’.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Scott flinch and watched curiously as he stared out the window. She squinted hard to try to see what he was looking at when her eyes caught on to a figure sitting at a bench.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

All she could tell was that the figure was female with dark hair, and that was the limit to her vision. Only seeing 5ft ahead of her and all that. In fact, Vanessa realized in annoyance, the whole board was blurry, so she was going to have to get Stiles to tell her what he was writing down.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa threw herself back into her chair in frustration before accepting the fact that she was legally blind and couldn’t change that for the life of her. She was pulled from her self-pity when the classroom door opened and in walked the principal and a girl who, by the looks of things, was new to the school.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

That got her bouncing in her chair. Finally, a fresh face around here! She had been staring at the same ones since last year and God, did it get boring after the first few months of realizing that everyone was either dickheads or loners. Except her friends and a select few others that made it onto her super exclusive list of likeable teenagers.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The girl didn’t meet anyone’s eyes, giving a small smile when she was introduced before quickly darting to the empty seat behind Scott, right beside Vanessa. The girl, who was introduced as Allison Argent, shared the same thick dark hair that fell in glossy curls to her waist, with dark lashes that framed even darker eyes. She was beautiful, with pale, unblemished skin and a pretty smile that appeared once more when Scott turned in his seat with a pen in his hand held out to her.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa frowned, watching Allison take it with a confused, yet grateful smile and it was when she continued to observe the two she noticed something odd. Alison didn’t have a pen, and Scott had somehow known it before the girl got around to asking for one.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She knew her friend pretty well, and therefore she knew that he would never do something like that unless he was confident that he wasn’t going to get turned down or embarrassed. Which begged the question, how the hell did he know?

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Smirking, Scott faced forward in his seat as the teacher droned on Kafka’s Metamorphosis, something that would have her undivided attention if she hadn’t been considering the ironic implications behind what they were learning and what could actually be happening to them. To Scott, in particular.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

If only a certain werewolf could answer his phone, she would have the answers she needed to know what to do next.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

-

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The bell rang finally after an hour torn between squinting at the board like a dumbass, leaning over Stile’s shoulder to look at his work and glancing worriedly at Scott. It was getting tiring after the first fifteen minutes and Vanessa kind of just wished she had telepathy. That way she could know what was going on in her friend’s head and know what the teacher was writing on the board without using Stiles as a chin rest.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Throwing her book into her bag unceremoniously, she twisted in her seat and tapped the shoulder of the new girl.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Welcome to Beacon Hills. I’m Vanessa,” she smiled warmly at the dark-haired girl and extended a handout to her.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Allison,” the girl replied back with her own smile, before cringing at herself, “Which you already knew.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Hey! It’s good to say your name twice. You never know if someone might have misheard or was just generally not listening.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Which one of those was you?” Allison asked, arching a brow, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Giving a mock gasp of outrage at the assumption, Vanessa gave a breathy laugh as she cried, “Neither!”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Leaning closer as if to whisper a secret, she said to the new girl in a low voice, “But I admit, that has happened to me before.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Allison grinned at her, happy at their playful exchange and wondered if making a new friend so quickly was as easy as that.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa leaned against her desk as they waited for the class to empty out, “So where did you move from?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“San Francisco,” the girl replied as they began making their way out the door, “But we moved around a lot before that so –“

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Ahhhh,” Vanessa nodded in understanding, “Military family?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Not quiet. My father is a security consultant and licensed firearms dealer who sells weaponry to local police departments.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“No kidding?” she widened her eyes in surprise, “That’s a pretty cool job. Sucks about the moving around but still, I bet you would have like your own mini armory.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Allison giggled nervously, “Something like that.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Sensing the girl was uncomfortable talking about that, Vanessa changed the subject as they walked down the hall towards their lockers, “What about your mum? What does she do?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The dark-haired girl shrugged next to her, “A little of this and that. In San Francisco, she was a buyer for a boutique. Before that she taught maths at a boys boarding school.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She hummed, impressed with this woman’s many skills, “Sounds like you have a really smart mother.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa turned down the corner and stopped, “So did they give you a locker number or did they just throw you to the wolves?”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Allison shook her head before pulling out a piece of paper with her schedule and details on it, “Locker number is 23.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The shorter girl clapped with a winning smile, “That’s just over here. Mine’s across from yours. How about while you put your stuff in, I can take a look at your schedule and see if we share any classes.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Sounds great,” Allison chirped walking over to the metal on the left side of the hall and putting in her pin, “Therefore, I might actually know where I’m heading half the time.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“That’s what I’m here for,” the girl joked back, her eyes scanning the schedule in front of her, “Your own person map.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She heard the girl throw a laugh back at her and grinned to herself. Allison seemed like a really nice person and easy to get along with. Just what the school needed.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

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“So, we have English and Art. Too bad you take French. I take Spanish so we just missed each other.”

****

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Sighing, the new girl turned around and gave her wry smile, “Tell me at least we have Art at some point today?”

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“It’s up next. We can walk there together.”

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“Sure-“

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Suddenly a mass of strawberry blonde hair stepped in between them, and Vanessa knew that it was time to step back and let nature run its course.

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“That jacket is absolutely killer,” a perfectly manicured finger belonging to Lydia Martin pointed at the jacket Allison was wearing. The love of Stiles’ life smiled sweetly, cocking her head to the side in question, “Where’d you get it?”

****

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Allison sent a quick look at Vanessa before smiling good naturally, flicking her wrist nonchalantly as she explained her mother’s previous profession.

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Lydia laughed, “And you are my new best friend.”

****

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She was cut off when a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist as Jackson Whitmore pulled her in for a kiss. The two girls off to the side exchanged awkward smiles as the couple made out. Vanessa, internally, rolled her eyes at the display, wondering if she should just take a hike. She caught Allison’s eye and pointed silently to her lockers mouthing that she needed to put her stuff away. Allison waved her off, telling her it was okay as the couple broke away from each.

****

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****

Vanessa began making her way over to Scott and Stiles, whose eyes were glued on the display behind her. Mandy, a friend of theirs that hung out with them in Gym, was wondering out loud about how the new girl was already being inducted into Lydia’s clique. It was a good question, one that Stiles answered with an equally good, if not just a bit stereotypical, answer.

****

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“Because she’s hot.”

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She swatted him in the arm, making him jerk back in surprise at her sudden appearance, “Ow. Can you stop doing that.”

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“Stop saying stupid things and I will stop.”

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“No can do.”

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“No can do,” she mimicked childishly, opening up her locker to throw her stuff in quickly before the bell for second rang.

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Stiles turned back to Mandy, defending his answer with a logical response, “Beautiful people herd together.”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Scott had been quiet through this entire exchange, Vanessa soon noticed, and she tilted her head to watch him watch the group. His own head was tilted, eyes darting as if he was listening to something that none of them could hear. She turned her own attention back and forth between him and the group she just left and tried to hear what they were saying.

****

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She couldn’t catch any of it and wondered if Scott could.

****

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Vanessa watched as Allison shot her an apologetic look before being dragged out by Lydia, presumably to lacrosse practice because Lydia always ditched her class to watch her boyfriend play. Vanessa smiled in understanding, nodding that it was okay. Once Lydia had her hooks in you, it was best not to struggle and to go along with it.

****

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“Hey, Ness?” Stiles snapped his fingers in front of her face, “Are you coming to watch practice or are you too good for that?”

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She snorted at him, “Too good to watch you get your asses handed to you? No way – let’s go.”

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She sent a quick text to Erica explaining that seeing Stiles fail at another aspect of life was too great of a show to pass up and promised that lunch was on her. There was a new pizza joint that had opened up around the corner so she knew that they could eat there and be back before fourth.

****

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Her phone beeped to show that Erica wanted ham and pineapple. How anyone ate pineapple on pizza was beyond her, but she wouldn’t argue with it. She sent an ‘xo’ before walking with Stiles and Scott down the hallway to the locker room where she left them to get changed. She made her way to the benches that sat adjacent to the field and got herself comfortable for one hell of a comedy.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She waited, watching the lacrosse boys stretch and felt her gaze snag on one of them. He was tall and vaguely familiar, but she could only see the back of his before he put on his helmet. She wondered where she had seen him before and if he might have a class with her.

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“But if you play, I won’t have anyone to talk to on the benches!” Stiles’ familiar whine passed her, and Vanessa kicked her leg out to trip him up.

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****

“Hey!” she yelled, offended. She always made sure to sit in the first row so she could have conversations with them during the games.

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“No offense!” he called back laughing.

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She shook her head at them and watched as Scott seem fascinated with someone to her left. Tilting her head, a small smile appeared on her face as Lydia led Allison to her bench and sat down on the tables beside Vanessa. Allison gave her a small wave that caught Lydia’s eye, causing her to acknowledge the girl sharing their table.

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****

Being scrutinized by Lydia Martin was a new thing, having never been acknowledged in the eight years they had been in school together but she was prepared.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****

“Cute outfit, love the blouse,” the strawberry blonde pursued her lips in approval as she gave the girl a head to toe once over.

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“Thanks, it’s new.”

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“Where’d you get it? And was there one in the color blue at all?”

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa thought about it for a moment, “It’s a new shop downtown. Bella Boo Boutique. Just opened up last Christmas. I think it had one in a baby blue, but it could have also been a different blouse I’m remembering.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****

Lydia beamed at her, “You should show me sometime! Here give me your phone and I’ll text you when I’m free next.”

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

She smiled good naturedly but internally, she was what the fucking like crazy. Seriously, one outfit was enough to get Lydia Martin’s phone number. The most popular girl in school, including the seniors. Popularity like that only came when you had the big three: Looks, Money and Connections. Being the girlfriend of the Captain of the Swimming Team and Lacrosse Team, the daughter of Beacon Hill’s wealthiest and the hottest girl in school since freshmen year, Lydia didn’t have time for people who couldn’t keep up. Which was basically the entire school, including Vanessa until up to five minutes ago.

****

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She handed over her phone and watched excitedly as the girl typed in her number and handed it back.

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****

“Sure okay, looking forward to it,” she replied before turning back to watch Coach throwing a lacrosse stick at Scott and point towards the goal.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa frowned. Scott didn’t know how to play goal. In fact, she didn’t think Scott knew how to play any position. That’s what happens when you’ve been benched since joining the team. If she had to guess, he was a warmup for the other players.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Hey, who is that boy?” Allison whispered to her and Lydia. Lydia scrunched up her nose and replied she didn’t know. Vanessa rolled her eyes at her and leaned forward to answer the girl.

****

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“That’s Scott. He’s in our English class,” she informed her.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****

“Oh okay, thanks,” the girl replied, giving her grateful smile before turning back to the field. Vanessa followed suit and noticed Scott looking at them, tilting his head the same way he did when they were back at the lockers.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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The whistle blew and something even weirder happened. It was like he was suddenly overcome with a migraine because one minute he was looking at them and the next he was holding his head and moving like he wanted to get away from the noise. Vanessa’s eyes widened in realization as she yelled out.

****

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“Hey Coach! A teacher just came out complaining about the whistle. I think you made your point!”

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

The older man turned to her, giving one last blow of the whistle as a kind of ‘fuck you O’Connor, I can do what I want’ before paying attention to his team as the first ball was pitched and met Scott’s face.

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Laughter and giggles broke out from the benches and the field, Coach’s the heartiest. Vanessa put her head in her hands and groaned. Peeking through her fingers, she watched her friend straighten up and hike his stick higher in preparation.

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The next player moved up, running to the left as if to catch him off guard before making a sharp turn right and throwing the ball. Vanessa prepared herself for the inevitable sound of the ball meeting the net but thought she was hallucinating when Scott caught the ball.

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“Am I dreaming, or did he just catch that?” she whispered to Lydia and Allison, the former seemingly not hearing her as her eyes suddenly took a laser focus on the boy manning the goal.

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Allison leaned over the strawberry blonde in excitement, “He caught it.”

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She heard Stiles’ cheering and could even make out the pure astonishment on Coach’s face as he stared open mouthed at Scott. The other plays leaned back. Scott McCall never caught a ball in his life. This was a literal game changer if they ever had one.

****

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The next boy ran up and took his shoot, one directed towards the ground. Scott caught it.

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Three more shots were caught just as efficiently, and all three girls found themselves smiling and cheering with the rest of the crowd that decided lacrosse practice was worth skipping class for.

****

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“He seems like he’s pretty good,” Allison murmured, her eyes fixed softly on the boy.

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“Yeah, very good,” Lydia agreed, her mouth curving in an impressed smile.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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“You wouldn’t have thought so last year. It seems the training has paid off,” Vanessa commented, a proud smile of her own plastered on her face despite the suspicion playing in her heart. Even in training, he never caught a ball. Something else was at work here and none of it was credited to her friend’s hard work and coordination.

****

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“Do you know him?” Lydia asked, sending an interested side eye over to her. Vanessa nodded.

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“I’ve known Scott since I was in diapers. His mom’s my godmother so naturally, we’ve been friends all our lives.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

They turned their attention back to practice when Lydia’s boyfriend, Jackson, pushed the next guy back and took his place. It was obvious that Jackson wanted to fix the abnormal change to the status quo that was taking place as he took the stance of someone intending to make a goal. Even if he had to pitch the ball through Scott to do it.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

They all watched in silence as Jackson ran, heaving back his stick. Coach, Stiles’ and the girls all wore looks of anticipation as the Captain of the Lacrosse Team leaped into the air and pitched a ball that should have, by all laws of nature, made it past Scott. And wore equally shocked looks when Scott maneuvered quickly to catch it before it sank into the net on his far left side.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****

She jumped up onto the bench beside Lydia, cheering at the miracle catch and saw Stiles’ jumping around from the bench. They saw each other and laughed, doing victory dances in celebration.

****

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“That is my friend!” Stiles’ was shouting, pointing proudly at Scott.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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Vanessa smiled glancing at the two girls next to her in time to see Lydia send a patronizing look at her boyfriend before flipping her hair in dismissal. Her and Allison exchanged another smiled before watching as Scott, in a show of his new skills, twisted around to send the ball over his shoulders and into the referee’s lacrosse stick. She smirked at her friend’s newfound boldness when he sent a nod to Allison, who smiled back at him blushing.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Clapping slowly, Vanessa found herself pushing away her concern in favor of taking a moment to enjoy her friend’s confidence. She might have her theories about what was going on with him but as far as she could tell, they were all good things. And maybe, she didn’t have anything to worry about.

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-

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As they trampled through the woods that afternoon, Scott was telling them all the new things he could do. Things that no human should be able to do.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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“I don’t know what it was,” he insisted as they splashed into the muddy puddle, “It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball. And that’s not the only weird thing.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

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Vanessa, being the only smart one who wasn’t wearing old chucks, balanced herself on a fallen branch and made her way across, “Time slowing down wasn’t the only weird thing?”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“No, I can hear stuff I shouldn’t be able to hear,” he explained, ducking under a branch, “Smell things.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Smell things? Like what?” Stiles’ questioned, scrunching up his nose at the prospect.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Like Mint Mojito gum in your pocket,” Scott replied, eyes darting down to the pocket in question.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa’s head snapped up, and Stiles’ looked back at her with panic as he took in the hungry look in her eyes.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Man, why did you have to expose me like that,” he groaned, already taking one out to share with the brunette. Realizing what Scott just did, they both stared at him as he threw his hands up, the clear I told you so ringing with his actions.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“So all this started with the bite?” Stiles’ asked.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“What if it’s like an infection, like my body’s flooding with adrenaline before I go into shock or something?” Scott questioned, worry fraying his words.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****

Stiles’ spoke up, “I think I’ve heard of this, it’s a specific kind of infection.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Are you serious?”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Yeah. Yeah, I think it’s called lycanthropy,” he stated, hands on hips.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Vanessa tripped over a stick in her shock and stared up at him. 

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Did he know?!

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“What’s that? Is that bad?!” Scott exclaimed, frantic.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Oh yeah, it’s the worst. But it only once a month.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Once a month?” Scott repeated.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Mmmm,” Stiles’ hummed, nodding his head, “On the night of the full moon.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

No one talked, both looking at him in either shock or waiting for an explanation.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Stiles’ smile grew and Vanessa felt her shoulders release it’s tension as he mimed a howl. He was just making a joke, and she uncharacteristically thought he was being serious. Scott shoved him in the shoulder and continued walking.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Hey man!” Stiles’ laughed, holding his hands up, “You’re the one who heard a wolf howling.”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“There could be something seriously wrong with me!”

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Yeah, you could actually be turning into a werewolf.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“I know! You’re a werewolf,” Stiles’ exclaimed, shaking his hands in exaggeration as he echoed her inner thoughts. He mimed growling and Vanessa cuffed him in the back of the head.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Quit it,” she hissed, moving to the other side of Scott.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Okay, obviously I’m kidding. But if you see me in shop class trying to melt all the silver I can find, it’s cause Friday’s a full moon,” the other boy continued joking.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

They stopped at a tree and his laughter died off as Scott inspected the ground, “I could have sworn this was it. I saw the body, deer came running. I dropped my inhaler.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

He knelt down to get a closer look. Vanessa sent Stiles’ a look, like it was fault. Truth be told, it kind of was.

****

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Maybe the killer moved the body,” Stiles’ suggested, choosing to ignore the looks she was sending him.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“If he did, I hope he left my inhaler,” Scott retorted, looking back up at them both, “Those things are like eighty bucks.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Suddenly, she got the keenest sense as if someone was watching her and looked over her shoulder. She yelped in shock, stumbling into Stiles’ before recovering.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Gods, don’t fucking do that!” Vanessa screamed at the newcomer who was standing a bit away from them with an amused expression.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Stiles’ tapped Scott, telling him to stand up as Derek Hale approached. He eyed her, recognition alight in his eyes but moved his attention to the two boys.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“What are you doing here?” he directed his question to her but didn’t move his gaze from her friends.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Trying to find Scott’s inhaler,” she lied, turning towards the boys as Stiles’ ran a hand through his buzzed hair sheepishly. She sighed, rolling her eyes at him. She couldn’t take him anywhere.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“This private property,” Derek snapped.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Uh, sorry man. We didn’t know,” Stiles’ apologized, looking uncomfortable. Scott was studing Derek like there was something wrong with him and Vanessa internally begged him to stop. Although, it was probably in vain because he probably knew what was happening and they might need his help.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

“Yeah, like she said,” Scott waved his hand, “We were just looking for my inhaler but forget it.”

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

Derek stuck his hand in his leather jacket and tossed something at Scott. Vanessa frowned when she saw that it was his inhaler and sent the man a suspicious look. He glanced at her before shaking his head to her silent question. So, it wasn’t him who bit Scott.

****

****************** ** ** ** ** **

****

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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He spun on his heel and started walking away, presumably back towards his house. Stiles’ spun around to Scott and started talking about what happened to Derek’s family but

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Vanessa walked away from them so she could whisper.

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“Derek.”

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She saw him turn around and she gestured to her phone as she typed another message.

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___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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**VANESSA: **Scott was bitten last night.****

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She turned back around when Stiles’ and Scott started to head back to the main road when her phone beeped.

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**DEREK: **Meet me at the front of your house tonight.****

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When she turned back, he was gone.

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	3. Sapphire Threats, Volatile Moves and A Habit of Getting On Your Nerves (A book by Vanessa O'Connor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does one do when they want to know more about werewolves?
> 
> They hop into Derek Hale's Camaro and pray they might walk back out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really short and kind of a filler. It's purpose is to show more about Vanessa's understanding about wolves and her wanting to find out more as well as her and Derek's dynamic which grows more friendly throughout the story.

Lightning cracked through rainy night as she sat at her window. Her room was a mess with papers strewn around and her printer buzzing with more on their way. If her parents asked, she was taking the interpretations of their English assignment a bit too far but in reality, she was doing research on everything she needed to know about werewolves in folklore as she waited for one to arrive at her house. 

Her phone beeped to let her know he was there, the girl throwing on a rain jacket before heading out. Both her parents were working late that night, with Sarah patrolling and Lisa assigned to nightshift so that Melissa McCall could get a rest from taking it three nights in a row. 

She clutched her rain jacket to her tightly as she spotted Derek’s car and rushed to hop inside out of the pouring rain. 

“Hey,” she greeted shrugging her jacket off so as not to dampen his leather seats. 

“What do you know about what happened to Scott?” he asked right off the bat, getting straight to the point. She assumed he didn’t fancy spending his spare time in a car alone with a strange girl. 

_That makes two of us._

____

“First off, you answer my question. How are one of you created? Bitten or born.” 

____

He glared at her before relenting when it came apparent she wasn’t going to answer his question unless he answered hers, “There are some, like me, who were born like this. Where our families have been werewolves for generations, possibly as far back as to when our kind were created. But most are bitten and can only be turned by a bite from an Alpha.” 

____

“Alphas are the leaders, right? You guys do have packs like regular wolves?,” Vanessa continued, ignoring the highly suspicious glare he gave her, “So you guys have a regular pack hierarchy? Alphas, Betas, Omegas right?” 

____

He hesitated before nodding. 

____

Vanessa tightened her lips, “So that means that Scott was bitten by an Alpha last night?” 

____

He nodded again. 

____

“Is that what I saw in the wood?” 

____

Derek turned to her, “Yes. Which is why you guys can’t go out there again!” 

____

“Isn’t that your property though? I know wolves, I studied them for Biology in eight grade. They’re territorial creatures. Possessive,” she ranted, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, “I would assume being werewolves, you would share most of the same characteristics as your canine counterpart.” 

____

He frowned at her, “You talk really weirdly, you know that. You don’t talk like a normal teenage girl.” 

____

“I told you I’m not normal. I’m a _genius _,” she insisted, crossing her arms over her chest, “I know a shit ton about mythology and folklore.”__

______ _ _

“Why?” he grounded out, still thinking she was a hunter or whatever. 

______ _ _

“Because I want to be a writer,” she sighed, fixing him with a raised eyebrow, “A science fiction and fantasy writer.” 

______ _ _

“What?” 

______ _ _

“What?” she repeated back at him, defensively jutting out her chin, “It’s a respectable profession.” 

______ _ _

“A bit convenient,” he muttered under his breathe but she caught onto it anyway. 

______ _ _

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes at his trust issues, “Just tell me what to do to help my friend.” 

______ _ _

“You still haven’t told me what happened to him.” 

______ _ _

Vanessa flushed, clearing her throat in embarrassment, “Right. Like I told you last night, he and Stiles’ were planning to go out and check out the woods for that body that was found. He and Scott got separated and Scott tripped or something. Then a bunch of deer came running out of nowhere and when he got up again, he saw this wolf like creature -” 

______ _ _

“And what happened next?” Derek snapped impatiently. 

______ _ _

“And it bit him! It bit him and then disappeared.” 

______ _ _

Derek closed his eyes shut and grunted in frustration, “If that creature really is an Alpha, then your friend has been turned with the purpose of joining it’s pack.” 

______ _ _

“Joining it’s pack?” she repeated, her brow furrowing, “Why would it go after Scott if it’s looking for pack members? Why a teenage boy that it probably has no connection to?” 

______ _ _

“It was probably a method of convenience,” the man next to her explained, his jaw clenching as he stared forward, “What matters is that you have to get your friends to stay out of those woods!” 

______ _ _

She whistled, her mouth forming an ‘o’ shape, “That’s not going to be easy. Stiles’ will keep digging until he finds that girl’s body.” 

______ _ _

“Well, you won’t find her in the woods,” Derek grumbled. 

______ _ _

“What makes you so sure?” 

______ _ _

“Because she’s buried in my front yard.” 

______ _ _

“ _ **WHAT! ** _” Vanesa screeched, jerking in her seat as she twisted to give him a frantic look, “Why the _hell _do you have her body buried in your yard?”___****_

********

_________ _ _ _ _ _

********

**“Because she’s my sister!” **he yelled, eyes glowing sapphire before flickering out as quickly as they appeared.****

************ ** **

_________ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

She shut her mouth tight, breathing hard before taking a deep breath in and then out. This just made things incredibly complicated. She knew that with the amount of passion and fury that swirled around him like storm, he must have cared for his sister. He couldn’t have killed her, not with feelings like that but the police wouldn’t see it like that. Her eyes softened and she tried to make her voice gentler and less chiding. 

************ ** **

_________ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“Derek,” she murmured, waiting until he turned towards her again, “You can’t bury her there. If the police find her there, you will become a suspect. And even if they let you go, your presence in Beacon Hills won’t remain a secret for long. Especially now that Scott and Stiles’ know you’re here.” 

************ ** **

_________ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“What do you propose then?” he snarked back at her, titling his head to give her an expectant look, “Since you clearly know _everything _.”__

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“I didn’t say that,” Vanessa snapped back at him, before reminding herself to remain calm and to not hit an already volatile werewolf, “But I do have an idea.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

He waved a hand for her to continue, obviously lacking trust in whatever she would suggest. 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“I know you don’t want to, but you can’t leave her buried in your yard. Anyone whose anyone can just find her, and their first thought will be to call the police. What you should do is put her back where you found her and make a missing persons report for her. That way, once the police find her and she has had her autopsy done, you can claim her body and put her to rest.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

She continued on, leaning back into the leather, “If you remain a suspect, you can easily claim that you didn’t arrive back in town until after she died. Do you have any receipts, documents, anything at all that could present a clear timeline from when and where you were before and after her time of death?” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“I can come up with something,” he murmured, giving her a look that could almost pass for impressed if it wasn’t covered with one hundred percent suspicion, “How do you know all this?” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

Vanessa rolled her eyes, “Because it’s basic common sense. And also, because I wanted to be a lawyer before I wanted to be a writer.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

He chuffed to himself, mumbling something that sounded a lot like, “Sounds like you wanted to be a lot of things.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

She scowled at him before waving her hands impatiently, “Now tell me how to help my friend!” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

Derek tilted his head towards, giving her a hard look, “If your friend is a recently turned wolf, then you won’t be able to help him. Only I can.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“Okay,” she nodded, blinking up at him, “So what do I do?” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“Stay out of it.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“I can’t do that.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“You can if you want to live,” he bit out. 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

She took a moment to reply, before snarking back, “That’s always up for debate.” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“Not with me, it isn’t!” 

************ ** **

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

************ ** **

“Look, Hale,” she smiled sweetly at him, while shooting daggers with her eyes, “You can tell me to back off, to leave it alone, to ‘ _stay out of it _’. But I’m not going to sit aside while you teach my best friend about Werewolf 101. I will be included in this and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!”__

__************ ** ** _ _

____

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____

************ ** **

____

Derek snarled with a mouth full of fangs, eyes glowing a bright blue as he got in her face. The girl, to her credit, merely leaned back. Her heartbeat like the thunder storm outside, loud and full of fear but she summoned the defiance to look him in the eye and grit her teeth despite all instincts telling her to run like hell. 

____

************ ** **

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____

************ ** **

____

**“NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME,” **she roared back, pointing a finger at his face that continued to snarl at her, **“YOU WILL PUT AWAY THE TEETH AND THE GLOW STICKS FOR EYES OR I WILL GRAB MY BAT FROM INSIDE AND SHOVE IT UP THAT SULLEN ASS OF YOURS, YER HEAR ME?!”******

____

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____

He flinched back at the loud noise and stared at her like she was stupid. She kind of was, screaming her head off at a werewolf that could snap her neck almost as easily as he could bury a body. 

____

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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****************** ** ** ** ** **

____

After a moment of having a silent stare off, Derek grunted again before settling down. The blue faded from his eyes as he returned to his usual state of cold, but she could tell that he was kind of impressed with her strong reply. 

____

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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____

“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

____

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____

She sighed in relief, a small smile making it’s way across her face. She tried not to feel so smug, but she couldn’t help it. She had a stare down with a werewolf and won. It was a good feeling to have, winning. 

____

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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____

“Alright,” she whooped, settling back into a faux relaxed state despite her heartbeat telling her otherwise. And telling him too if he had the same super sense as Scott seemed to have. 

____

****************** ** ** ** ** **

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____

“So,” Vanessa drawled, “What did you want me to tell him?” 

____

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____

“You won’t have to tell him anything. He will come to me all on his own.” 

____

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____

****************** ** ** ** ** **

____

Suddenly, a howl pierced the through the night and made the blood in her veins turn cold. She shared a look with Derek before hopping back out of the car and up the driveway without saying goodbye. She knew he wouldn’t be offended; it was what her mind had been screaming at her to do since he wolfed out on her. She just wanted to get inside and go to bed and try to ignore the feeling of being a deer in the middle of a wolf infested forest.

____

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	4. Bloodlust At It's Peak (Never Get Between A Guy And His First Girlfriend)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “GIVE IT TO ME!” Scott roared into Stiles face. She felt her stomach drop when he drew back a clenched fist and knew with superhuman speed, came superhuman strength. A regular punch in the face could break a nose. She didn’t want to see what one with ten times the power would do. At least, she didn’t want to see what it did to Stiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer and makes up for the short filler from the pervious chapter. Hope you enjoy x

The next day, Vanessa and Erica were walking to Study Hall when they heard the sound of Jackson’s voice yelling at someone. Hiding around the corner, they peered around to see him talking to Scott, who was wearing an adorably confused face as the other boy interrogated him. 

“Where are you getting your juice?” Jackson talked slowly, as if he was holding a conversation with a baby. Vanessa caught on straight away on what he wanted to know. He thought Scott was taking steroids. She and Erica rolled their eyes at this and continued listening in. 

She held back a laugh at Scott’s confusion, as he frowned back at the boy innocently. 

Scott shook his head, “My mom does all the grocery shopping.” 

Erica slapped a hand over her mouth to cover her giggles while Vanessa sagged against the lockers as silent fits of laughter filled her. 

Jackson spelt it out for him, wanting to know what and who Scott was buying from as the two girls around the corner fell over each other at the hilarity of the situation. 

“Oh, you mean _steroids! _” Scott exclaimed, finally getting it. Erica mouthed ‘ _he’s too cute _’ at her as they giggled to one another.____

_____ _

“Are you on steroids?” they heard him say back to Jackson before the loud bang of someone getting shoved into a locker echoed through the seemingly empty hall. 

_____ _

“ **WHAT THE HELL **is going on with you, McCall?”****

___******** _ _ _

They turned to find Jackson’s face a mere inch from Scott’s, holding the boy against the locker by his forearms as panic lit up in his dark eyes. 

___******** _ _ _

“You really wanna know what’s going on with me?!” Scott exclaimed, much to Vanessa surprised. She watched as Jackson nodded eagerly, pulling back, “Well, so would I! Because I can see, hear and smell things that I shouldn’t be able to see, hear and smell. I do things that should be impossible, I’m sleepwalking three miles into the middle of the woods, and I’m pretty much convinced that I’m totally out of my _freaking _mind.”__

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

Vanessa’s eyes bugged out of her head. Erica frowned at her; laughter now gone. 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

“Is your friend okay?” she whispered, glancing at him in concern. 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

Unfortunately, Jackson did not take Scott’s outburst as seriously as Vanessa did because he violently slammed his hand into the locker beside the other boy’s head, declaring he would find out what Scott had been taking before walking off down the hall. She heard her friend sigh deeply to himself before gesturing for Erica to head on to Study Hall without her. 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

Erica nodded and headed off as Vanessa turned around the corner. 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

“You're sleepwalking now?” 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

Scott jumped turning towards her before realizing she wasn’t Jackson coming back to threaten him some more. He ran a hand through his hair before sagging against his locker. 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

“Yeah, happened last night,” he explained in a tired voice, “One minute I’m in my room falling asleep and the next I’m in the middle of the woods getting chased by that creature that attacked me Sunday night.” 

___****____ ** ** _ _ _

“ _What the fuck _!?” Vanessa screeched, causing him to rub at his ear in pain. She grimaced, sending him a short ‘ _sorry _’ before continuing on with her frantic concern, “What happened? Are you okay?”____

___****_______ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Yeah, I ended up running away and somehow falling into my neighbour’s pool?” 

___****_______ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Your neighbour? As in Mr Barry, the one who’s always looking at us like we’re crazy even though he washes his _driveway _?”__

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Yeah,” he breathed out a laugh before walking down the hall beside her, “It was weird because it was like one minute I was running in the woods and somehow the next minute I was running into his pool. I don’t know how I got there so fast. I don’t know anything that’s going on with me.” 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

She gave him a sympathetic look, her heart squeezing inside her chest at his confusion. He must be feeling so lonely and scared, with no one to give him answers on what was happening to him. She reminded herself to send Derek a text so that he could hurry up and tell Scott what was going on. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“The answers out there,” she reassured him, leaning against him to give him a sideways hug, “It will come to you soon.” 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

His small “I hope so,” made her feel even worse as she pulled out her phone to tell Derek off. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

\- 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

That afternoon, Vanessa found herself at the benches with Allison and Lydia watching lacrosse. Her eyes were trained on her two friends. Stiles’ was scrambling after Scott, trying to talk to him about something serious before Scott cut him off to go play the game. Stiles’ eyes were wide and full of worry, and even with her poor sight she could tell her had to tell Scott something important. She excused herself from the conversation Lydia and Allison were having about Lydia’s party that weekend and jogged over to her friend. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Hey, what’s going on?” she breathed, one hand on his shoulder. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

Stiles’ spun around to her, “My dad got a call from forensics who came back with the results from the body. There were animal hairs all over her. You’re not going to believe what the animal was.” 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

She jerked her hand back, eyes darting to where Scott was running to his position, “A wolf.” 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

They turned towards where Coach was blowing his whistle for the team to gather around, both feeling uneasy about this new information and how it would especially affect their friend. It was the elimination game, as the Lacrosse team referred to it, where it would be determined who would be playing and who would be benched for the rest of the season. Stiles’ sent her a look from over her shoulder before joining them as she walked back to where the girls were whispering to each other. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

Once again she found her eyes snagging on that tall player who looked familiar and tried to find his last name on his jersey. With the amount of shifting the players were doing, she couldn’t make out anything except the number and wondered why she was always caught up in finding out who he was when the whistle blew again for the players to start. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

The ball was thrown around until it inevitably landed in Scott’s net. Dodging the first block, he was thrown to the ground by Jackson who smirked down at him before walking off. She felt herself go still when she saw Scott get up, shoulders tensing in determination and knew instantly he wasn’t going to go down without a fight. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

The two boys faced off but Scott got the ball as the whistle blew again. She watched her friend run in a way that would have sent him into an asthma attack in the past, dodging around players by an inch and finally flipping over three players as he pitched the ball into goal. Vanessa gaped at him as the spectators let out a loud cheer. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

Scott spun towards them all and threw up his arms in victory as his players gathered around him to celebrate that shot. Vanessa shook her head in amazement at his reflexes and smirked as she noticed Allison clapping with open admiration for her best friend. She looked back and forth between them, quickly deciding that she would get them together. 

___****_________ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

Her best friend might be a werewolf, but he’s been long over-due for a girlfriend. Remember, **priorities **.****

___****_______******** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

They watched as he was called out of the group celebration by Coach, who still had a look of absolute disbelief stuck on his face. 

___****_______******** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Yeah, you made the shot,” Coach spat, before grasping the boy by the front of the jersey, “And guess what, _buddy _? You made first line!”__

___****_______****____ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

He slapped his hand on Scott’s padded chest as the crowd stood up whooping in celebration. He was the first one to make it and with shots like that, they were all eager to see their team win every single game that season. Vanessa grinned proudly and hollered alongside them all. 

___****_______****____ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

\- 

___****_______****____ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Stiles,” Vanessa groaned, throwing her hand over her forehead from where she was sprawled across his bed, “Please tell me you remembered to order pizza.” 

___****_______****____ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

The boy didn’t reply, instead he was fixated on his computer screen as he tapped madly at his keyboard. She sighed, picking up her phone to send a text to Erica. 

___****_______****____ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

**VANESSA **: _Stiles invited me over and didn’t order food. WTF kind of hospitality is that?_****

___****_______****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

**ERICA **: _At least he invited you over. He has never spoken a word to me in 4 years._****

___****_______****__****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

**VANESSA **: _Out of everybody to have it bad for and you pick Stiles? I don’t get it._****

___****_______****__****__****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

**ERICA **: _That’s because you have known him since you guys were kids._****

___****_______****__****__****__****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

**VANESSA **: _Eh – still don’t get it._****

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

She threw her phone down beside her as she sat up with her arms behind her back. 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****____ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“ **Stiles **,” she barked, grinning mischievously as he jumped in his chair.****

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Whaaaat?” he drawled loudly, sending her a glare. 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“I. Want. Pizza,” she clapped, hungry as hell. 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Oh my god – get it yourself,” he groaned dramatically, searching around his desk, “Did you bring your research like I told you to?” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Get me pizza and I’ll give you my research.” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“That’s cheating,” he exclaimed, pointing at her like she was the devil incarnate. 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“No, it’s called compromise. We both get what we want.” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Compromise,” he whispered to himself as he turned back to find his phone, “I hate that.” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

While he busied himself with ordering them pizza, she wondered around his room and finding distracting with the odd books and knick knacks that he owned. She fingered the spine of a red book. 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__******** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“ _History of Lycanthropy? _” she read out loud, turning towards him with a frown, “Where the _fuck _did you find this book?”____

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__****_____ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

Stiles’ scrambled around frantically, hanging up the phone. His brown eyes brightened when he saw the title in her hands and he held out his hands to her, “I’ve been looking for that. That might tell us something!” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__****_____ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“Tell us what?” 

___****_______****__****__****__****__****__****__****_____ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ ** ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** ** _ _ _

“That Scott’s a werewolf!” 

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Vanessa jerked back, glancing at the computer. Sure enough, all his tabs had a mythology or folklore website with some reference to lycanthropy. She glanced at her phone, unsure what stance to take. On the one hand, she already knew that Scott was a werewolf and could tell Stiles’ so they could help their friend together. On the other hand, Derek had told her he wanted to do it himself. Right now, Derek was the only one with factual knowledge and if she betrayed his trust by telling Stiles what she knew, he wouldn’t tell her anything. 

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She gave Stiles a quizzical look, “That joke was funny when you first told it but now it’s getting kind of old.” 

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Her friend sent her an exasperated look, “I’m not joking. I am dead serious.” 

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A knock on the door startled them. Stiles sent her a look that basically told her to keep her doubts to herself as he opened the door. Scott stood on the other side with a cheerful smile on his face, probably left over from him learning he made front line yesterday. 

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“Get in here,” Stiles demanded frantically, pulling Scott by the arm into the room that was strewn with loose paper. It basically looked like her room the night before when she was pouring over her own research. 

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“You got to see this, dude. I’ve been up all-night reading. Websites, books. All this information,” he explained, waving his hands around as he picked pieces of paper up from the ground. 

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“How much Adderall have you had today?” Scott joked, mildly concerned at his friend’s most than usual erratic behavior. 

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“I was about to ask the same thing,” Vanessa smiled from where she was fingering an article about a suspected werewolf sighting back in the 1800s. 

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Stiles’ eyes darted between them both before he admitted reluctantly, “A lot. But it doesn’t matter. Okay, just listen.” 

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“Is this about the body?” Scott asked, throwing his bag on the floor and taking a seat on the bed beside Vanessa, who immediately made herself comfortable by throwing her legs on his lap, “Did they find out who did it?” 

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“No, they’re still questioning people. Even Derek Hale,” the other boy replied, missing out on the way Vanessa straightened to attention. 

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“Oh, the guy in the woods that we saw the other day?” 

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Stiles’ hands flew up above his head, his impatience getting to him, “Yeah! Yes, but that’s not it, okay?” 

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“Then what then?” 

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“Here we go,” Vanessa drawled from where she flopped back onto the bed, her head hanging off the side. 

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“Remember the joke from the other day? Not a joke anymore,” Stiles’ laughter faded off into seriousness, his eyes softening in worry at their best friend. Vanessa felt bad for making fun of him, knowing he was ultimately right and that he had come to that conclusion all on his own. She might make jokes about him being stupid, but Stiles’ was smarter than her in all the ways that counted. 

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Scott didn’t seem to understand what he was getting at, causing Stiles’ to elaborate. 

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“The wolf. The bite in the woods. I started doing all this reading,” he explained, standing up from his chair, “Do you even know why a wolf howls?” 

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“Should I?” Scott scoffed, still thinking Stiles’ was joking around. 

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“It’s a signal, okay. When a wolf is alone, it’s howls to signal it’s location to rest of the pack. So, if you heard a wolf howling, that means others could have been nearby. Maybe even a whole pack of them.” 

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Scott straightened up, interest ringing in voice as he repeated, “A whole pack of wolves?” 

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“No, werewolves,” Stiles’ replied, fully serious. 

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Vanessa froze up as the room went silent, her eyes going back and forth between the boys in an attempt to try to gauge where this conversation was headed. Finally, Scott’s expression settled on annoyance as he sprung up. 

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“Are you seriously wasting my time with this?” he scoffed, picking up his bag from the floor, “You know I’m picking up Allison in an hour!” 

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“I saw what you did on the field yesterday, Scott. What you did wasn’t just amazing, all right? It was impossible!” 

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Scott’s eyes flickered up to meet Stiles’ before looking away nervously, “So, I made a good shot.” 

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“No, you made an incredible shot!” they watched as their friend hastily pushed Scott back down, taking his bag from him, “I mean the way you moved, your speed, your reflexes!” 

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He held out his arms in front of him, trying to get Scott to understand, “People can’t just suddenly do that overnight!” 

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He continued on ranting, “And then there’s the vision and the senses – don’t think I didn’t notice you don’t need your inhaler anymore!” 

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Vanessa cocked her head in interest. Stiles had noticed everything she had, from the way their friend moved and acted right down to the fact he didn’t need to use his inhaler. Of course, they were much closer than she was to the both of them and usually she would find herself feeling left out but at this moment, with the amount of tension breaking out around the room, she found herself not minding sitting on the bed alone wishing for some pizza and a warm hug. 

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“Okay!” Scott exclaimed suddenly, “Dude, I can’t think about this right now. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay?” 

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“Tomorrow? What? No!” Stiles’ shouted, “The full moon’s tonight! Don’t you get it?!” 

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“What are you trying to do?! I just made first line; I got a date with a girl who I can’t believe wants to go out with me. Everything in my life is somehow perfect. Why are you trying to ruin it?!” 

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“I’m trying to help,” Stiles croaked desperately, hurt burning his eyes as he looked up at his best friend, “You’re cursed, Scott. You know, and it’s not just the moon will cause you to physically change. It also just happens to be when your bloodlust is at its peak.” 

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Vanessa cringed. She didn’t like it when they fought, as rarely as it happened. It felt so wrong to hear them argue with each, with voices raw and full of hurt and anger. She was especially concerned with how confrontational Scott was being. While she usually wouldn’t mind him taking Stiles down a peg or two, Stiles was genuinely trying to help this time. Something Scott desperately needed no matter how perfect his life was turning out. 

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“Bloodlust?” Scott repeated, obviously not believing anything that was coming out of their best friend’s mouth. 

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“Yeah, your urge to kill,” Stiles looked up at that, wariness settling in the way he sat. 

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“I’m already starting to feel an urge to kill, Stiles.” 

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The boy with the buzz cut held up a hand pleadingly, “Just listen to this.” 

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Stiles made a grab for a book off to the side and began to read out loud, “Change can be caused by anger or anything that raises your pulse.” 

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He slammed the book close and turned to Scott, “Alright! I haven’t seen anyone raise your pulse quiet like Allison does. You gotta cancel this date. I’m gonna call her right now!” 

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Vanessa panicked. This was not what she had in mind when she wanted to help Scott. Sure, Stiles had a point. Allison was definently someone who Scott would be the most vulnerable of changing around (if what Stiles’ research said was true) but she also knew that getting between the two would send Scott into hyper-anger drive. 

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“What are you doing?” Scott asked, his voice taking a new edge that sent a warning all on its own. 

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“I’m cancelling the date.” 

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Scott yelled out, yanking Stiles by the back of his sweatshirt and pushing him into the wall. 

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_And there was the hyper-anger._

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She sprung off the bed, pulling at her friend’s shoulder in an attempt to save their other friend from being murdered. 

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“ _Scott, stop it! _” Vanessa screamed, jerking frantically at the back of his sweatshirt.__

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“ **GIVE IT TO ME! **” Scott roared into Stiles face. She felt her stomach drop when he drew back a clenched fist and knew with superhuman speed, came superhuman strength. A regular punch in the face could break a nose. She didn’t want to see what one with ten times the power would do. At least, she didn’t want to see what it did to Stiles.****

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Stiles glared challengingly at their friend through hooded eyes, making a blatant attempt to control his breathing. Scott knew that he proved Stiles right and took his anger out on the wheelie chair, making Vanessa jump back to avoid being hit in the process. He let him go and Vanessa helped him up. 

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“Are you alright?” she murmured, to which he nodded back at her, his eyes still glued to their friend who looked back at him with regret, “You shouldn’t have provoked him like that.” 

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“I’m sorry,” Scott apologized softly, stepping back towards his bag, “I gotta get ready for the party.” 

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He made his way to the door, stopping to look back and repeated mournfully, “I’m sorry.” 

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Stiles waited until he shut the door before sniffing slightly, bending down to right his chair. 

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“Stiles – “. 

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“That’s not him,” he cut her off, eyes a bit glassy as he took a deep breath in, “That’s not him, it’s the full moon.” 

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“I know,” she replied softly, “I believe you.” 

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He glanced up at her with grateful eyes before they hardened in determination, “Than we got to be there for him when he inevitably goes AWOL.” 

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They both stared down at the claw marks imbedded into the leather of the wheelie chair and gulped simultaneously.

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	5. The Light of the Silvery Moon (A Party Song)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It takes a lot of balls to show up at one of Lydia Martin's house parties without an invite.
> 
> Vanessa just so happens to have balls of steel, a werewolf friend (debatable) with a Camaro and a knack for not only wild guesses but also sneaking alcohol out of her mom's liquor cabinet without them noticing.
> 
> Oh, and a hell of a motivator in the form of a newly turned werewolf bestie on his first date with a hot girl on the night of his first full moon.
> 
> What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're getting a bit of Sterek subtext - that was on purpose. There's an ongoing coin toss between whether I want Stydia or Sterek to be endgame. Being bi, I'm not opposed to a polyamorous relationship going down.
> 
> Comment your thoughts and I'll take it under consideration x

They agreed to meet outside the party later that night, Vanessa telling him that she had to head home first to give her parents an excuse. In reality, she quickly changed out of her clothes and into an outfit worthy of gaining attendance to one of Lydia Martin’s famous parties. She was now outside the girl’s house waiting for Derek to arrive so she could fill him in on what was going down tonight. His Camaro flashed in the distance, coming to a stop down the road. She looked around to make sure nobody was watching before walking over to it. She leaned down to look in through the window. 

“Get in.” 

She opened the door and climbed in without a second though, and before she could close it he was already driving off. 

“Explain.” 

Vanessa glared at him, “First off, quit with the demands. I’m not the dog in this friendship, you are.” 

She held two fingers up before he could protest about the dog comment – or the acknowledgement they had any such relationship, “Secondly, you should have reminded me there was a _fucking _full moon because than I would have had time to fill you in.”__

____

“Fill me in on what?” his low voice grounded out in impatience. 

____

“On how much of an idiot Scott is.” 

____

“Where is he?” 

____

“At a party. With a girl he likes.” 

____

“Did you even _try _to stop him?”__

______ _ _

“I didn’t,” she admitted, ignoring the annoyed look he sent her way, “But Stiles did. He managed to figure it all out. Didn’t even need me to tell him anything. Based on research alone, he deduced that Scott was a werewolf and a bunch of other stuff too. Like the fact Scott’s blood lust was at it’s peak tonight or the fact that he could change at any point of time depending on if his heart rate increased.” 

______ _ _

Derek hummed, murmuring softly, “Sounds kind of smart.” 

______ _ _

“He is,” Vanessa nodded in agreement, smiling slightly before continuing, “But before he could convince him, he ran off his mouth about Allison and got thrown up against the wall. Scott left shortly after. Which is why we’re going to that party.” 

______ _ _

The car jerked to a stop, sending her flying towards the dashboard. A strong arm went out in front of her before she could hit it. She was torn between being grateful for Derek saving her from a broken nose and being angry that he would have been the cause of it. 

______ _ _

She went for the latter. 

______ _ _

“What the fuck!? Did you not remember I was recently in a car accident? You should, considering you were the one I crashed into.” 

______ _ _

“And if it was anyone else, they would have been dead,” Derek pointed out, effectively shutting her up, “Also, when did I agree to going to this party?” 

______ _ _

“When you said you would help Scott,” she chimed back, fixing up her hair and makeup in the mirror. 

______ _ _

“Help him control himself, not help him have a good time.” 

______ _ _

“Fine,” Vanessa snapped, fed up with his attitude, “Than just wait for me and Stiles to bring him outside.” 

______ _ _

He considered her for a moment before starting the car again, “Fine, but you better not take too long.” 

______ _ _

\- 

______ _ _

Derek pulled up outside of the house before telling her he would go find a park and find somewhere to wait out the night. She pulled on his sleeve before hopping out. 

______ _ _

“What about you? Are you going to be okay with the full moon?” 

______ _ _

That ghost of a smile appeared again as he took in her concern, “I’ll be fine. I learnt to control it a long time ago.” 

______ _ _

“Okay, see you later.” 

______ _ _

She shut the car door and ran a hand through her curls. As she approached the door, she checked out her reflection in the window. She had decided to go with black sheer stockings and long sleeved little black dress that hugged her in all the right places. She paired the outfit with black ankle boots and decided pretty quick that if it didn’t impress Lydia Martin, then nothing would. 

______ _ _

She knocked on the door and gave a pretty smile when it opened to reveal Lydia who seemed to have the same idea as her that black was the way to go. Dressed black jeans and a black top that clung tightly to the chest in order to emphasis her generous cleavage, Lydia was dressed to kill. 

______ _ _

“Hello,” she gave her a once over with her browed furrowed, “Did I invite you?” 

______ _ _

Vanessa plastered an innocent look, “Was it invite only?! Oh my god, I am such an idiot. Here I come with some drinks in the hopes I could chat to you about that new boutique shop I was talking about on Monday and instead I've managed to embarrass myself!” 

______ _ _

She made a show about revealing the two bottles behind her back before extending them out to the girl, “Here, as an apology for assuming. Have a nice night!” 

______ _ _

She waved as she turned as if to make her way home before a voice halted her with a, “Wait!” 

______ _ _

She spun slowly on her heel, giving the strawberry blonde an expectant look. 

______ _ _

“Come in,” the girl waved, a charming smile stretched across red lips, “Thanks for the drinks. I’ll meet up with you later so we can talk about the boutique but for now, enjoy yourself!” 

______ _ _

“You’re so kind, thank you!” 

______ _ _

The dark-haired girl made her way through the giant house to the throngs of people dancing to loud, house music outside by the pool. Greeting familiar faces as she walked by, she made her way to the dance floor to actually enjoy the party – as it was her first time being invited to one. 

______ _ _

She felt the song change to one with a good beat and started shaking her hips in time to bass line. Throwing her hands in the air, she spun around with the rest of the teenagers and seemingly lost herself to music. 

______ _ _

It wasn’t until half an hour later she spotted a familiar mop of hair appear from inside and a mass of dark curls that followed. She had to admit, any other night, she would have loved the shit out of this picture. They were an attractive couple and she didn’t want to ruin their night. Luckily for her, she wasn’t going to. She would leave that Derek and Stiles – she was going passive on this one. 

______ _ _

She noticed Scott staring daggers at someone from behind her and as she turned, she saw Derek, hands in his pocket and his face lit up by the nearby fire pit. In truth, he kind of looked like a creep. She rolled her eyes at him, trying to catch his eye. When she succeeded, she made a shooing gesture with his hands to which he answered with a glare before disappearing in a flash. 

______ _ _

Vanessa turned back to the dancefloor, moving her hips in time to the beat when Scott and Allison appeared beside her. 

______ _ _

“What are you doing here?” Scott frowned. Vanessa ignored him, choosing to greet Allison with a hug. 

______ _ _

“I didn’t know you were coming tonight!” the dark haired girl beamed, pulling back. 

______ _ _

“I almost didn’t but Lydia appreciated the extra alcohol, so I was allowed in.” 

______ _ _

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Allison grinned. 

______ _ _

Vanessa felt rather than saw Scott’s growing annoyance and took pity on him, waving them off, “Go, have fun.” 

______ _ _

He widened his eyes at her before understanding her olive branch for what it was. He sent her a small smile before pulling Allison close and started dancing. 

______ _ _

_He is just adorable. God, why did the full moon have to be tonight?_

________ _ _ _ _

She turned back to spinning with the music, jumping up in down for the anticipation of the beat drop. She made sure to keep one eye on the couple at all times. When she saw they were about to kiss after sending heavy longing glances at each other the entire night, she knew _it _was going to happen.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

And it did. His hands were fisted in the back of Allison’s shirt, head shaking in pain like it did at lacrosse practice that first day back. Vanessa could hear him panting heavily from where she stood and started to make her way over to them, pushing through the pulsing bodies. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you okay?” she heard Allison say, pulling back to get a clear look at his face. It was obvious he was holding back the change, if not for himself than to keep Allison from seeing his eyes or teeth. Vanessa pushed kids out of the way, watching as he muttered something in the girl's ear before stumbling away. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey!” she called, finally making her way over to the girl now standing alone, a worried and confused look marring her pretty face, “What happened? Where’s Scott?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t know!” she threw her hands up in distress, “One moment I think he’s going to make a move and the next he’s saying he needs a moment.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa panicked. He would beat himself up really bad if he screwed stuff with Allison. She needed to fix this for him before the girl got the wrong idea. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sure he’s just nervous,” she waved it off, leaning in to whisper in the other girl’s ear, “Don’t tell him this but he was really excited to go out with you tonight. I think it’s because you’re the first girl he’s asked out and he just panicked.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” Allison asked in disbelief, “What do I do?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe just give him some space. Wait until he get’s the courage up – which he will. Trust me, you're, like, really special to him already so he definently doesn’t want to mess this up. He’s also got like asthma and when he get’s nervous, he might need some time to breathe it out and probably doesn’t want you to see him like that.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh okay,” Allison nodded in understanding, sympathy shining from dark eyes, “Well if you see him, tell him I’m getting us some drinks, okay?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yep,” Vanessa nodded before grabbing her arm, “Also thank you for understanding.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to thank me. Thank you though for explaining it to me.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No problem. I’ll see you in a bit,” she waved before heading off to track down her best friend. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She saw Stiles trying to get her attention from where he was standing with Mandy and a few bench boys from the lacrosse team and hurried over. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey,” she smiled at them all in greeting before pulling Stiles into a corner, “Did you see where Scott went?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He just headed out, he doesn’t look good,” he replied, pulling her along and out the front door. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

They watched frowning as they saw his mom’s car drive down the street. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ah _shit _,” they groaned in sync.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, nice job you two,” a familiar voice drawled from behind them. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed, bracing herself for the snarkiness while Stiles, unaware that Derek had anything to do with the situation, spun around frantically. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _You _!,” he pointed nervously, stuttering his words, “What the heck are you doing here?”__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa invited me,” the dark-haired man explained, a strange twinkle alight in his eyes. Oh right, it was amusement for throwing her under the bus. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” her and Stiles echoed, one in annoyance and the other in disbelief. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Relax,” Derek soothed over, “I know everything.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _How _,” Stiles cried, “does _he _know _everything _?”______

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because Derek Hale is a werewolf and he is going to help us out.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her attention snagged on Allison coming down the stairs carrying two plastics cups in her hand, her eyes searching for someone that wasn’t there, “Where’s Scott? I thought you were going off to find him.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa froze up, not knowing what to say that won’t make her friend sound like a total flake before Derek took over, his mouth curved in a charming smirk, “Allison? I’m a friend of Scott’s. My name’s Derek.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two friends gaped at Derek, wondering what his play was as Allison frowned at him, “Do you know where he went?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He had an emergency at home. I think he forgot to tell you, with him being in a rush to make sure everything was alright,” he lied, words steady. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded beside him, seeing the logic in his lie. If Allison questioned why Scott didn’t tell her, she would sound self-centred. If she questioned why Derek was there, she would sound rude. Two things that just weren’t Allison. Vanessa stepped in to explain why Derek was there. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He’s our ride for the night it seems but Scott should be by later to check you got home safely and to apologize for leaving. He also asked me to tell you that he would like to make it up to sometime, if you weren’t mad.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison was silent, staring off down the road where Scott’s car had just driven off before giving them a nod, a sweet smile masking her disappointment, “Sounds good. Let me just say goodbye to Lydia and I’ll be out in a second.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With that, she spun on her heel and went back into the house, passing the cups to two newcomers who thanked her before continuing on. Derek lost his smirk as soon as the girl disappeared, turning towards the other two. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m going to drop her off, and then I’m going to drop you two off at his house. Check if he’s in there, and if he is, chain him up to something that will hold,” he explained, pulling out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why the _fuck _do you have handcuffs just casually sitting in your pocket?” Vanessa asked, taking them from him gingerly like they’ve been places she never wanted to be. Derek gave her look that said she was being childish in return, before turning around once more to meet Allison with another charming smile.__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, ready to go?,” he asked before leading them over to his car. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He pulled up to McCall house, twenty minutes later and told them he would be waiting outside, listening in. The two teenagers scrambled out of the car and through the front door, knowing their friend would have forgotten to lock it behind him. They sprinted up the stairs and to the door of his bedroom which was locked from the inside. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, it’s me,” Stiles called out to him when they heard their friend yell to go away. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The door opened slightly but not enough that they could get inside. They heard him at the door, panting. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, let us in. We can help,” Stiles pleaded, pushing against the door. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, you got to find Allison,” Scott insisted, harsh breaths escaping him. Vanessa squeezed in beside Stiles, pressing her face next to the gap. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s fine. We got a lift home with a friend who dropped her off before coming here, okay. She’s perfectly fine.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, you don’t get it. I think I know who it is,” they heard him murmur to himself. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles was getting sick and tired of the door between them and pleaded again for Scott to let them in. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s _Derek _. Derek Hale is a werewolf. He’s the one that bit me. He’s the one that killed that kill in the woods.”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy beside her froze, sending her a scared look as his face went pale. His hands scrambled for his phone before Vanessa stopped him. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Listen, Scott. Derek is a werewolf, but he isn’t the one who bit you. And he didn’t kill the girl in the woods either.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How do you know, Ness?!” Scott cried from the door, and the sound of nails dragging along wood made the two friends outside the room stiffen. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, how do you know, Ness?” Stiles repeated in a harsh whisper, pushing hard against the door. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I was with him the night Scott turned. He only just got in town that afternoon, and the body was found that morning and had been there for at least a week before that so it couldn’t have been him.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, I don’t trust your instincts right now,” Stiles replied before telling Scott that Derek was the one who drove them home. Or more specifically, the one who drove Allison home. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Dickhead _,” she hissed at him as the weight on the other side of the door disappeared and they crashed through to an empty room, an open window and the light of the full moon spilling in.__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She cuffed her friend in the back of the head and said out loud, “Derek, did you hear all that?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The sound of a car engine starting up and racing down the street answered the question. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nice job, Stiles.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, what was I supposed to do!” he snarked, throwing his hands up. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You were supposed to trust me, genius.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Trust _you _? That’s funny because while I’m there getting called crazy by you and Scott, you were there this whole time secretly in on the whole werewolf secret. For three days!”__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I wasn’t allowed to tell you otherwise I would’ve. I didn’t know if we would need Derek and the information he could have so I couldn’t risk breaking his trust.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But you were perfectly fine with throwing ours away like dirt.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s not like that and you know it,” she sighed, settling down on the bed with her head in her hands, “I wanted to tell you. Especially when you actually believed Scott was a werewolf but then the fight with Scott happened and he scratched up your chair, and by that point it was basically confirmed. You didn’t need me to tell you anything.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, so I didn’t need to know about Derek Hale being a werewolf and a possible suspect on the list of people who could have turned Scott?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I told you before – “Vanessa began to defend Derek before she realized what he said, “Wait, you had a list of people you thought could have turned Scott?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, of course,” Stiles scoffed, pacing around the room. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How many people were on it?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Five?” Stiles scrunched up his face in concentration before shaking his head, “No, it was definently five.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who the hell did you suspect?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, I admit that Derek was on there twice. Mr Harris, because I wouldn’t put it past him to be something other than human and Coach was on there because he would do anything to win this season.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s only four,” Vanessa stated, a look of bewilderment on her face at the silly list he made. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh shoot, it was too.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He settled down next to her after five more laps of pacing, his leg bouncing, “How long do you think we’ll have to wait until he comes back?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“However long it takes for Derek to track him down and get him to control himself.”

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	6. Temper Temper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody is screaming at each other and it's a lot of fun for everyone except Derek (who is being screamed at).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I might have figured out how the bold works but don't hold your breathe.  
> Also I know there is a lot of italics but guys, it's teen wolf and I feel like the italics (sarcasm) would appear in every piece of dialogue don't you agree?
> 
> Leave a comment if you don't x

It was early in the morning, just before seven when someone’s cell phone went off and _just would not shut up _. Vanessa’s eyes cracked open as her hand crept around the bed to shut the offensive sound off. Instead her hand found a shoulder. Blinking away the sleep that crusted her eyes, she realized that the shoulder belonged to the sleeping boy next to her, snoring away in her ear. Kicking him lightly in the shins, she pulled out her phone from under him as he rolled away and off the bed.__

____

“Hello?” she yawned into the phone, not caring about how rude it was to the other person. 

____

“It’s done. He was in the woods when I last saw him, but he should be along the main road somewhere by now. You can thank me later,” Derek’s low voice answered smugly before hanging up. 

____

Crap, that’s right. _That happened _. She turned to Stiles but realized that he wasn’t there. When she peered off the edge of the bed, she found him face down still asleep.__

______ _ _

“ _STILES _!,” she shouted, causing him to jerk up onto his feet fast.__

________ _ _ _ _

“What is it? Scott?!” 

________ _ _ _ _

“He’s not here but I know where he is so let’s go now!” 

________ _ _ _ _

The two sprinted to his house a few streets down, looking like a sight in their crumpled-up party clothes from last night as they climbed into the jeep sitting in his driveway. Stiles pulled out and sped along the road, heading towards the backroads that snaked along the outskirts of the Beacon Hills Preserve. They kept their eyes peeled for their friend as worry ate at them until Vanessa caught sight of him. Scott was shirtless, dressed only in jeans that had dirt spattered on them. He was holding his arm and limping down the road looking worse for wear when they pulled up beside him. 

________ _ _ _ _

He climbed in when he saw it was them and they took off back to town without a word. They sat there for ten minutes, glancing at each from the corner of their eyes. Vanessa bit her lip, sitting in between them and waiting for one of them to start talking because she was _definently _not taking this one.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know what actually worries me the most?” Scott finally spoke up, leaning his head against the window and clutching Stiles’ sweatshirt to him. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you say Allison, I’m gonna punch you in the head,” Stiles responded, glancing at Scott to tell him he was being serious. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott cringed, banging his head slightly against the glass groaning, “She probably hates me now!” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t worry. I told her there was an emergency at home that you had to take care of,” Vanessa explained, patting his arm in reassurance before adding, “But I also did say you would swing by her place after, so –“ 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You might want to come up with a _pre-tty _amazing apology,” Stiles continued, sticking out his tongue in concentration before shrugging, “Or you know, you could just tell her the truth and revel in the _awesomeness _of the fact that you’re a _freakin’ werewolf _!”______

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott frowned at him with his mouth open, giving their friend the look that said that was the last thing he was ever going to do. Stiles saw this and sighed. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay, bad idea.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa snorted from beside him, throwing herself back against the seat, “You think?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They noticed how Scott shrank into himself in dejection. Stiles leaned over her to put a hand on their friend’s shoulder, “Hey, we’ll get through this. Come on, if we have to, we’ll chain you up ourselves on full moon nights and feed you live mice. I had a boa once; I could do it.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She grinned at his attempt to cheer Scott laugh as their friend scoffed, shaking his head. She leaned against his shoulder, conscious of the pain he was still in, “We’ll do it, you know? Help you through this. No matter what happens, you will always have us beside you.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott sent a small smile to them both as they sat back and relaxed, enjoying the quiet ride home after the disastrous night they all had. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The weekend went by quick, probably because Vanessa herself spent most of it either sleeping or checking up on all her friends. Allison had constantly reassured her that she wasn’t mad at Scott and understood that it was an emergency that caused her to ditch her at the party but Vanessa had a sixth sense when it came to these things, and she knew the girl would feel a bit of resentment and disappointment towards him. She had every right to after all and under normal circumstances, Vanessa would be with her moaning on about how her best friend was an idiot. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But these weren’t normal circumstances and Scott was a werewolf who just went through his first full moon. Of course, she couldn’t tell Allison that but still. She would defend her friend even at the cost of the new girl’s friendship if she had to. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Erica texted her on Saturday night after her dinner with her grandparents, complaining about how she wished she could have slept over instead. She had tried to talk to her parents about changing her medication in order to with her anxiety and depression, but they just complained that if the medication worked to decrease her seizures, then she shouldn’t take it for granted. She sympathized for her friend, knowing that anxiety – especially induced by medications – was a bitch and hoped one day she could help her friend out more rather than just sitting there feeling useless. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek, _the bastard _, was ignoring her twenty-four texts and missed calls since Friday night. Scott had told her and Stiles about how Derek had saved him from the hunters in the woods but just went on about how the bite was a gift and that they were brothers now? What kind of stupid ass advice was that? While she agreed that super senses and a supernatural immune system was kind of awesome, the uncontrollable urge to rip out somebody’s throat every time they pissed you off or turned them on was kind of a mood killer.__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_He’s just scared of the big verbal whoop ass you’re going to give him once he does pick up his cell _, Vanessa reasoned to herself as she and Stiles walked out together on Monday afternoon, watching from in the jeep where Scott was sitting nervously, his leg bouncing. Their friend was, of course, waiting for Allison Argent and sprang up as soon as she passed him.__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Watch him mess this up,” Stiles muttered to her, leaning back impatiently. Vanessa slapped his arm. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t say that! You’ll jinx him,” she hissed back, watching the couple intently as Allison started smiling, “Besides I don’t think he will, look at her. She was never angry in the first place, just confused and a little hurt.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Have you seen what women do when they are a ‘ _little hurt _’?” her friend snarked back, giving her a once over that implied he was using her as an example. Vanessa was about to snap back with a demonstration when Scott and Allison leaned in for a kiss.__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look!” she pointed excitedly, grabbing Stiles by the arm hard. Stiles winced, both waiting for the moment their best friend would get his first kiss when the two separated, looking over to a red vehicle that pulled up, presumably Allison’s ride. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott stood there for a moment with a dumbfounded look on his face, waving his hand to bid Allison goodbye before stumbling over to the jeep. He jumped in, breathing hard. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He was there, he’s one of them,” he panted, running a shaky hand through his hair, “Allison’s dad is a hunter.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa gaped at him, “The first girl you date and her dad is a guy that _literally _hunts your kind?!”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Her dad shot me with a _crossbow _,” Scott mouthed to himself in disbelief..__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

If he had said that about anyone else, she would have laughed about the ridiculousness of that sentence. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Let me get this straight. The father of the girl who you like, shot you, a creature that he hunts, with a crossbow?” Stiles repeated, blinking with a furrow between his brows. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott nodded, leaning his head back as his breathing got harsher. Vanessa watched him warily as Stiles opened his mouth, lips forming silent words as he tried to wrap his head around it. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison’s _father _…..?”__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Yes, her father _!” Scott shouted, causing both Vanessa and Stiles to jump in their seats.__

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They were silent for a moment as it sunk in what was happening before Scott suddenly exclaimed. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**“OH MY GOD!”**

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His face scrunched up as if he was in pain as he repeated the phrase to himself several times. Stiles leaned over the back seat to lightly slap their friend a couple of times in the face as his breathing got faster, “Hey, snap out of it okay! All right? He didn’t recognize you, right?” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, no, no I don’t think so,” Scott stuttered, frowning to himself. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Does she know about him?” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott’s eyes widened, “Oh yeah, I don’t know. What if she does? This is gonna kill me, man!” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Their friend shut his eyes tight as he whimpered, looking almost close to tears as the two friends fumbled to calm him down. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles leaned back to whisper to Vanessa, never taking his eyes off of their friend for a second, “He’s screwed.” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She nodded in agreement, “Definently.” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott broke out in sobs in front of them, “I can hear you!” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sent a message to Derek to meet her at the school the next day, only saying that it was urgent. Of course, she expected him to ignore that like he ignored everything else that popped up on his cell so it surprised the hell out of her when she making her way to the field when a dark shadow appeared next to her. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What did you want?” he asked bluntly. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa jerked her head up before scowling at him, “Hey, Nessa. Nice to see you too. How was your weekend? It was great, thanks for asking!” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I didn’t come here for the small talk. Tell me what’s so important that your filling up my phone with voicemails?” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _What’s so important _?!” she screeched at him, stopping hard in her tracks, “Where do I fucking _start _? One, your so-called ‘ _help _’ was actually just gloating to Scott about how he is unappreciative about the ‘ _gift _’ that was suddenly thrust upon him from nowhere and that you’re now _brothers _? Two, the hunters that you told me absolutely _jack shit _about are suddenly out and about and oh, _what was that _? Oh yes, that’s right! They just happen to be the family of Scott’s _newfound girlfriend _!”________________

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?!” he growled, grabbing her by the arm, “His girlfriend is one of _them _?”__

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” she nodded her head, trying to jerk her arm out of his iron grip, “You would have known that if you had answered _my fucking calls, dickwad _!”__

__________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sorry that I have a life past my phone,” he gritted his teeth, flinging her arm aside as he got up in her space, “Some of us have bigger issues to contend with!” 

__________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The only issues you should be contending with his helping my friend and tracking down whoever turned him!” she hissed lowly, getting equally as close, “And maybe also thinking about rebuilding your house. It looks _fucking _sketchy bunkering down in a place where there is barely a _roof _!”____

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He groaned, eyes flickering slightly as he stepped back to pull at his dark hair, “I don’t have time for your teenage meltdown. Where is he?” 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Lacrosse practice. Probably freaking out,” she breathed, anger draining out of her, “Come on, I was on my way there now.” 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two walked hastily to the outskirts of the field, close enough that they could watch the players without looking suspicious. Derek put his hands in his jacket pocket, eyes narrowed on the player with the number ‘11’ on his jersey. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They watched as Scott ran the first time before being blocked hard by Jackson, sending him on his back. Coach leaned down next to him as he got up, muttering in his ear his little brand of ‘encouragement’ before sending him on his way. Scott’s shoulders were tensed as he prepared himself for his second run and Vanessa knew that this time Jackson was the one who was going to go down. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And boy, did he! Scott ran and rammed the boy over, sending Jackson onto the ground clutching his shoulder in pain. The other boy was a meter away kneeling over with his head in his hands. They watched Stiles sprint over, collapsing next to him to hold his shoulders. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He’s changing,” Derek explained, expression stony. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?! He can’t, not in front of so many people!” Vanessa exclaimed, her hands jerking to her clutch the front of her shirt nervously. She let out a deep breath in relief as she saw Stiles helped their friend to his feet, leading him to the locker rooms. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She turned to Derek fast, “I’m gonna check to see if they’re going to be okay. If I need help, you’ll hear me?” 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded; his gaze locked on the two boys who disappeared into the building. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa turned on her heel and sprinted over to the door that led inside, thankful that she chose to wear converse sneakers instead of her heels today. She yanked open the door and ran around the corner, sighting Stiles leaning against the wall with an extinguisher in his hands. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the hell happened and why the fuck are you carrying a _fire extinguisher _?” she shrieked, peering around the corner to see Scott with his head in his hands, sweat drenching his dark hair and forehead.__

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles sighed deeply, walking into the room to sit on the ground with his hands on his knees, “It’s the anger. His pulse rising. It’s a trigger for the change.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But that’s lacrosse,” Scott said helplessly, “It’s a pretty violent game if you hadn’t noticed!” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, it’s going to be a lot more violent if you end up killing someone on the field!” Vanessa cried, throwing her hands up frantically. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles shook his head, looking up at his friend, “You can’t play Saturday. You’re going to have to get out of the game.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But I’m fire line!” Scott pointed out, shaking his head. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Not anymore,” Stiles stated solemnly, regret clear in his voice. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That night, the trio were on Skype and Stiles was sharing the news that Jackson had a dislocated shoulder from Scott’s supernaturally enhanced power charge that afternoon. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa cringed, “God, I knew you put him down but I didn’t know you’d do it by popping a joint, Scott!” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because of me?!” Scott cried in regret. 

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“Because he’s a _tool _,” Stiles corrected in an attempt to absolve their friend of the guilt he was feeling.__

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But is he gonna play?” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They don’t know yet. Now they’re just counting on you for Saturday.” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh great,” Vanessa chimed unhelpfully, swinging around in her chair as Scott groaned, shutting his eyes. Something caught her eye in the back of Scott’s camera, and she stiffened in her chair. Stiles, also noticing who was standing beside Scott, went deathly pale. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott noticed their reactions and frowned, “What?” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

For some reason, not realizing the person behind Scott could see what he was typing, Stiles sent a message saying that “It looks like someone’s behind you.” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The screen froze on Scott as Stiles frantically called out to him. Vanessa squinted at the screen, trying to make out the blurry figure when a wave of realization overcame her. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Stiles! It’s Derek,” she explained, trying to calm him down, “It’s just Derek Hale.” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott’s screen unfroze to reveal him pinned against his bedroom wall, and Derek yelling harshly in his ear. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **GET OFF OF HIM!** ” Stiles shouting angrily. 

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“ **DEREK! WHAT THE FUCK**!?” Vanessa screamed, pressing her face close to the screen as if that would help at all. 

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The screen froze again to find Scott kneeled over, panting heavily as he frantically looked around the room for the leather clad werewolf. Vanessa hung up on the school and dialled Derek’s number. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello?” he answered, disinterest colouring his tone as if he didn’t just threaten her best friend. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT**?” she screamed, not caring if it hurt his sensitive ears, “ **DID YOU JUST TELL SCOTT YOU WOULD KILL HIM!? HOW THE FUCK IS THAT HELPING HIM?** ” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Firstly, it’s helping because it motivates him to stop getting into situations that will expose him and second, if you scream at me like that again, I will never answer your calls.” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She breathed out a humourless laugh as she leaned back in her seat, “You got issues, man. You say that you’re the only one who can help him, but you just spend your time throwing him around, spitting in his face and threatening his life! How do you ever expect him to come to you for help if he’s fucking scared of you?” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _He should be scared _!” his growl rang out through the phone, “ _He should be scared of everything _!”____

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“Some gift that bite is than, _huh _?” she retorted, sarcasm thick and her venom thicker, “He will never come to you, never trust you, if he’s scared of you, Derek. No one will. You want to teach him not to be scared but then you teach him not to trust. And guess what? When the time does come for you to say ‘ _trust me _’ – he’s not going to do it and you will lose any kind of hold you think you have on him.”____

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She leaned forward, scowling as she whispered, “You have a lot to learn about being a teacher, Derek. And even more to learn about being human.” 

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She hung up on him before he could retort anything smart like how they weren’t human. Unlike Derek, Scott wasn’t born a wolf. He wasn’t raised on fear, of being scared and looking over his shoulder for hunters or the like. He was born human and if Derek ever wanted Scott to listen to him, to trust him - he was going to have to show that he respected that. 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She quickly rung back Scott and checked up on him to make sure he was okay before going to bed, shutting her eyes despite the shivers that life had inexplicably changed forever.

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	7. Boys (Stupid, Stupid, Forgiven, Beautiful - Guess Who?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where some boys (wont name names because that's mean) ignores Vanessa's advice, does stupid shit that comes back to bite them in the ass in the future - or would have if she didn't exist - and is left in a hot mess of regret and guilt by the end of it.
> 
> Except Derek, who learnt that it doesn't take much to get back on O'Connor's good side - just sacrifice your pride and you're set.
> 
> And of course, our art class hottie makes his appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (FIGHT ME - in a non criminal way - DANIEL SHARMAN IS BOTH ADORABLE AND SEXY)  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter x

The next day, Vanessa was strolling down the halls after the bell rang for lunch when she caught sight of her best friends peering around the corner like they were up to no good. She sidled up behind Stiles and peeked over his shoulder. 

“What are we looking at boys?” she drawled lazily, a Cheshire cat grin on her face when they spun around with wide eyes before settling down upon realizing that it was just her. 

“Scott heard my dad talk about how they’re installing a curfew for nine thirty because of the body,” Stiles explained frustratedly, “He’s out looking for a rabid animal when the jerkoff that actually killed the girl is out there doing whatever he likes!” 

Vanessa sighed, “I’ll agree that Derek is a jerkoff, but I told you, he didn’t kill the girl.” 

“No, you told us that you don’t _think _he killed the girl. The jury is still out Ness,” Stiles’ rebutted, rolling his eyes.__

____

“Don’t tell me what I did or did not say! I know perfectly well that it wasn’t him. He didn’t arrive in Beacon Hills until the night Scott was turned. The girl had been dead for at least a week beforehand,” Vanessa found herself repeating, much to her annoyance, “If you listened to me for once in your life, you wouldn’t be behind on information.” 

____

Stiles ignored her and turned back to Scott, insisting that he had to do something to help his dad. 

____

“I can do something,” he said, eyes trained in determination on his father. 

____

“Like what?” 

____

“Like find the other half of that body.” 

____

Vanessa groaned, “Don’t interfere, Stiles!” 

____

“You can’t expect me to just sit aside while my dad runs himself off the deep end trying to find an animal that isn’t actually an animal but is a freakin’ werewolf! At least by finding the body, he can close the case once and for all and move on.” 

____

“Where do you suppose it is then?” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest, “You have miles of woods to cover – how do you expect to cover that much ground?” 

____

“Simple, I know where to start. The Hale House.” 

____

With that he walked away, leaving Scott and Vanessa behind with reluctant expressions before they walked off down the hall. She was about to tell Scott that the body wasn’t at the house when she noticed his attention fixed on Allison, Lydia and a guy from the lacrosse team. Vanessa saw how tense her friend became and how he prowled towards them like a predator protecting his game. 

____

“Don’t do anything stupid,” she muttered to him, ultimately ignored as he moved in closer. 

____

_Everybody just wants to fucking ignore me today! ___

______ _ _

“So, Lydia’s introducing you to everyone,” Scott murmured to Allison as Lydia grabbed the lacrosse dude by the hand and dragged him down the hall. 

______ _ _

Allison gave Vanessa a smile as she excitedly exclaimed, “Lydia is being so unbelievably nice to me.” 

______ _ _

“Aw, isn’t that nice? Scott, that’s really _nice _of her, isn’t it?” Vanessa nudged him with her elbow, sending him a look of warning.__

________ _ _ _ _

“I wonder _why _,” he muttered to the tall, dark haired girl. Allison frowned at his sarcastic tone.__

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“Maybe she gets how being the new girl can **suck**.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded her head at the girl in sympathy, but Scott’s eyes were lowered on the jacket folded up in Allison’s arms. It looked familiar for some reason and she tried to remember where she had seen it before when a vision of Lydia’s party flashed back in her head. It was the jacket that Allison had worn that night and if she remembered correctly, it was the same one Scott claimed to have been used to lure him into the woods. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Where did you get that _?” he asked, brows furrowed in concern. The girl glanced down at the jacket than back up at him, frowning.__

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“My jacket? It was in my locker. I think Lydia brought it back from the party. She has my combination so – “ 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did she _say _she brought it back,” Scott interrupted, eyes widening in panic, “Or did _somebody _give her the jacket?”____

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"Somebody like who, Scott?"

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_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Like Derek.” 

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“Your friend?” 

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“He’s not my –“ 

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Vanessa slapped a hand over his mouth, “Sorry, he and Derek are going through a rough patch right now.” 

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Scott shook off her hand, glaring at her for answering for him before turning back to Allison, “How much did you talk to him when he drove you home?” 

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“Not much at all,” Allison looked as if she was confused as to why Scott was so hung up on Derek. She sent Vanessa a questioning look, receiving a shrug back that implied the shorter girl didn’t know either. Or more accurately, didn't know what to tell her. 

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“What did he say?” Scott pushed, leaning forward. Vanessa titled her head with a brow raised. She didn’t like the tone he was taking with the girl. No matter how protective he was of her and how suspicious he was of Derek, he didn’t need to interrogate the girl especially when it was plain to see that it was annoying the brunette. 

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Allison scrunched up her nose, smiling the awkwardness she felt off as she pointed behind her, “I gotta get to class. Later!” 

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She was jogging away before she had finished the last word, waving behind her when Scott tried to call her back before turning the corner. Vanessa was standing there the whole time, whistling the sound of a plane crashing through the sky before miming an explosion. Which was basically that _entire _exchange.__

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“You know if you keep acting weird around her, you’re going to drive her away,” she told her friend, who turned to her with a frustrated look on his face. 

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“You know that I’m not being weird. Derek is dangerous and he’s using Allison to get to me.” 

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“If that’s the case, don’t grill Allison who clearly has no idea what is going on. Confront Derek,” Vanessa turned on her heel and began walking down the hall as she called back, “Don’t let him get to you, dude.” 

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She heard him mutter ‘too late’ before she turned to corner and sighed deeply. She pulled her phone out and made her way to the nearest bathroom before dialing the devil’s number. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What are you gonna yell at me about now?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why did you leave Allison’s jacket in her locker?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Where was I supposed to leave it? Would you rather I had left it in her _bedroom _?” he responded, amusement coloring his low voice.__

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“Why are you tormenting Scott?” Vanessa questioned, frowning, “Are you just completely deaf or did you forget about what I told you last night?” 

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“I heard you, I just don’t know why you think I would follow the advice of a girl who doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” 

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“Derek,” she snapped into the phone, patience running thin, “I’m trying to help you. You think you know everything but who really has all the information. I’m Scott’s best friend. I know every move he makes, everything he feels and thinks. Tell me, how did you know he was going to Lydia’s party? How did you know about Allison being an Argent? How did you know that he was turned in the first place?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Like you said, Derek,” she continued mockingly, “You have better things to do, higher priorities and all. So where do you get all the information from. Me! I know more than you think and right now, your just driving Scott away. Stay away from Allison. I told you that intimidation is not the way to make him come to you.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do you know – “ 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know a _fuck ton _more than you. He’s a teenager, Derek. Get real! The more you try to make him do something, to force him to see things your way, the more he will rebel,” she explained, running her hands through her ringlets in anger before snapping, “When you smarten the fuck up, give me a call. Until then, stay away from my friends. Both of them!”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She hung up and made her way to Art, muttering her apologies to the teacher before making her way to where Erica and Allison sat with a spare chair between them. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Have you girls been introduced yet?" the short brunette quirked a grin, hiding the inner turmoil she felt. Allison leaned forward to wave at Erica, who sent a timid smile back at the dark-haired girl. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison Argent, meet one of my best friends, Erica Reyes,” Vanessa gestured with her hands, “Erica, this is Allison. She recently moved from San Francisco and now has to deal with us crazy people.” 

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“Crazy people?” the blonde asked quietly, know knowing what happened before class. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott was being insecure,” she explained quickly, turning to both of the girls when she said, “He and his friend are fighting and he got jealous because his friend gave me, Allison and Stiles a ride home when Scott couldn’t.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Which – “Vanessa continued, glancing at Allison, “I apologize for on his behalf. He’s just under a lot of pressure and I’ve been trying to tell him to stop being weird around you but like I said, this is his first time going out with someone.” 

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“It’s fine,” Allison shook her head good naturedly, “I just wish he could understand there’s nothing to worry about. If anything, his jealousy will push me away more than anything.” 

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“I think after Saturday he will be back to normal. He’s been snapping at me and Stiles too since he made first line, so I think it’s just the pressure from Coach and lacrosse and shit,” she trailed off, throwing her hands up. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Excuse me, Miss O’Connor?” the teacher’s voice broke out from the front of the classroom, “Are you going to be finished with your conversation anytime soon or would you like me to start the class later?” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think I’m done, Miss,” Vanessa flashed her a winning smile before glancing to the two girls on either side of her, “We’re done right?” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They nodded, eager to get rid of the teacher’s attention. The brunette gave a thumbs up. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Very witty,” the teacher remarked drily, causing the class to erupt in chuckles, “Quieten down everyone.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A few people sent a grin or a laugh at Vanessa, who gave them all winks or smiles back before everyone straightened up to show they were ready to get started. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Today, we’re focusing on perspective. How the way we perceive people can differ from person to person. For your assignment, you will create a portrait of the person sitting across from you. You can represent them in any form you like, using any technique you prefer to convey how you perceive them. But be warned, you will be presenting these pieces at the end of the semester so if you are thinking to add devil horns or anything of the like, they will be seeing it.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa raised a brow, peeking around her easel to see what she was working with and almost fell over the desk. He was tall, even sitting down she could tell he was tall, though he was obviously trying to hide it with the way he was slouched in his chair dressed in that dark hoodie he wore. He had curly dark blonde hair that framed his forehead before settling back behind his ears. With large, deep set blue eyes – yeah, they were definently blue, even with her shitty eyesight she could see that they were blue – and an accented jawline, he was easily one of the most handsome guys in the class if not the most attractive. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And he was looking right back at her. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her hand slipped and she almost fell on the desk, scrambling back into her seat. She heard a tittering come from her left and saw Erica with her hand over her mouth and bright, laughing eyes. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Vanessa muttered, looking to her right to see Allison also grinning at her fumbling. The dark-haired girl even looked around the easel to see what got her all blushing – yeah, she was blushing alright, any hot-blooded girl would – and turned to her nodding in approval. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You too? Great – real _subtle _.”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She took a deep breath. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Time to do damage control._

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She placed leaned over her desk to the guy across from her, one hand outstretched, “I’m Vanessa.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He blinked up at her before reaching his own hand out to take hers, a small smile playing on his lips despite the flush that filled his cheeks, “Isaac.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re not going to draw me falling on my face, are you Isaac?” she grinned cheekily at him. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy shook his head, pink blooming his cheeks as he gave her an uneasy smile, “As long as you don’t draw me with devil horns or something like that.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s a deal than.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sat back down in her seat, ignoring her smirking friends and her increasing heartrate. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Get a grip, kid! You hold hands with the guy for, like, five seconds and your already hot and bothered._

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Not a _**fucking** _word,” she mumbled to the girls beside her, sending them into laughter as she hid her reddening face behind her easel. Little did she know, the boy across from her was doing the exact same thing.__

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before she knew it, time whipped by and the bell rang out for fourth period, Vanessa groaning in frustration as her forehead hit the table with a loud thud. The girls beside her exchanged looks of concern at her sudden reaction. 

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“He’s _too _perfect,” she mumbled when the class had emptied out and all that was left were the three girls and the teacher who was used to her dramatics by now, “Fucking perfect bone structure.”__

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“What did he say his name was?” Allison asked. 

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“His name’s Isaac Lahey,” Erica chimed in, looking down at her friend whose face was still plastered onto the table, “And he’s actually in our homeroom.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think I’ve seen him on the field,” Allison pointed out, jumping slightly when Vanessa jerked up with realization alight in her eyes. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s gotta be who I was looking at!” she exclaimed, sounding a tad bit crazed before explaining, “I kept noticing this player that seemed extremely familiar to me but I couldn’t for the _life of me _figure out who he was or where I had seen him before.”__

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I hate to interrupt this spectacularly interesting conversation,” the teacher cut in from the front of the classroom, not even bothering to look up from her papers, “but the bell is about to ring and I would truly hate to give you detention today.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In other words, she was basically begging for them to give her a reason to issue detention. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girls jumped up, hastily putting away their canvases and out of the classroom. Erica and Allison waved goodbye to Allison as they headed to study hall, Vanessa silently blessing whoever was responsible for creating her muse as well as damning them for bits for being the reason she would now be blushing three times a day for the rest of the school year. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa was getting ready for bed when her phone rang. She didn’t bother looking at the caller ID, assuming it was Stiles calling that late. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello?” she answered. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s me. Meet me out the front,” was all Derek said before he hang up, not giving her the chance to throw his offer back in his virtual face. She grunted, half impressed and half annoyed that he basically forced her to give into curiosity, throwing on an oversized sweatshirt that she stole from Stiles before making her way out, telling Lisa that she was ‘getting some fresh air’. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sitting across the street was her car, the hood all fixed up. She inspected it, humming her approval at the incredible job they did in fixing it from the wreck it once was. Climbing into the car, she spun around fast, “Just because you fixed up my car, does not mean you’re off the hook –“ 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You were right,” he interrupted, sighing before fixing her with a look. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She went silent for a moment before waving her hand, “Continue.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You were right about Scott. He confronted me at my house and I just ended up pissing him off more.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa had to physically swallow the words I told you so. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek continued on, “And I took your advice. I put her back where I found her, and I even went in today to put in a missing person’s report.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She nodded, before remembering her conversation with Stiles today, “That’s good, that’s really good because Stiles was planning on going to your house…..to look for the body.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man’s good mood – if you could even call it that – suddenly vanished as he stiffened in his seat, “What? Why?” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because his dad is trying to find the body so he can close the case that it was an animal attack and he wants to help him out. He also still thinks you killed her so, he’s got in into his head that you have the body.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“When was he going?” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If I know Stiles, he would have waited until you just left. And if you really did piss off Scott, he’s probably with them.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before she uttered the last word, Derek was already speeding down the street. It was fifteen minutes before he pulled up to his house beside the familiar blue jeep and was out and storming up to them before she even had her seatbelt off. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the _hell _do you think your doing?” he growled at them.__

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks for the invite, boys,” Vanessa called out sarcastically, trudging up to them and shivering in her oversized shirt and shorts. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You ratted us out, Nessie?” Stiles groaned, sending her a look of betrayal. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Correction, you ratted yourself out.” 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **You’re going to rot in jail for what you did** ,” Scott roared, getting up into Derek’s face. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, for the last _fucking time _, he didn’t **kill the girl**!” Vanessa sighed, shouting out the last part. __

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How do you know?” Stiles retorted, leaning against his shovel, “He’s got you wrapped around his finger, Ness! Face the facts – _he’s a killer _!”__

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__“I know he didn’t kill her,” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up as she charged forward, “Because she was _his fucking sister _!”___ _

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two boys shut up at that, exchanging shocked looks as the new information settled in. Stiles, _the fucking skeptic _, did not take that as face value.__

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, he’s crazy enough to kill his sister!” he pointed at Derek’s face with a finger that was five seconds away from being eaten if he didn’t mind what he said. 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Some would say the same about you. Would you kill _me _? Or _Scott _?!” she argued, the lines of logic blurring between them.____

_____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **Of course I would** _, which is why I know he is fully capable of doing this!”__

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She rolled her eyes at the typical Stiles response, “And how are you going to prove it?” 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I smelt the blood,” Scott said in a low voice, “It was the same as the other half of the body at the morgue. I smelt it here.” 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET INTO THE MORGUE**?” 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Seriously, Ness, hospital security isn’t a thing these days,” Stiles snarked. 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It doesn’t matter. The body isn’t here,” Derek revealed, crossing his arms over his chest. 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two boys turned to him and yelled at the same time, “Where is she?!” 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I suspect the deputy’s have found her by now,” Vanessa snapped, walking back to the car, “So, good luck with that whole plan to ‘get Derek arrested’!” 

_______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She began stalking off the to her car before she spun around again, “Oh! For your information, if you had clued me in – I could have _totally _got him arrested so that’s on _you _.”____

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa knew it was childish, but she was hurt. She was always invited on their adventures, ever since they were kids. To be left out was like a punch to the stomach and a deck to the heart. She would have preferred to get an upper cut from Scott on the full moon than go through finding out they left her at home without telling even telling her that they were going. 

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sat in the car, holding back tears that made her feel even worse before driving past the three, flipping them all off for being the cause of more pain, anger and hurt combined. 

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That night, when she settled down in her bed she promised herself that she wasn’t getting involved in their werewolf messes anymore and that she would focus on herself and making the most of the remainder of her sophomore year. Deep down inside, she knew that promise was made to be broken.

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	8. I Told You So (She Was Right)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Derek admits to himself that Vanessa was right (three times in one night) and making good on his promises to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing on from last chapter, this is insight onto what happened after Vanessa left them at the Hale House - primarily from Derek's POV. It's going to be very short, a basic filler chapter, so sorry to disappoint.
> 
> I know it's a bit OCC but I like to think that Derek has enough room for a soft spot - especially for short, snarky brunettes who remind him of a little girl who burned in a fire (or so he thinks).
> 
> Leave a comment if you have any tips on how you think Derek thinks internally and i'll take it into consideration for future POVs.

They watched her drive off, her middle finger pressed against the car window. The two boys cringed, guilt bleeding from their pores. They knew they should have at least sent her a text but with the way she had been defending Derek non-stop, they didn’t want to hear her reasons on why what they were doing was stupid beyond reason. Maybe, it was because they knew she was right but wanted so desperately to find answers that they looked in the only known place they could think of. 

Derek turned to them and closed his eyes, the girl’s voice ringing inside his head. 

“Look,” he said as he approached the two, looking into their eyes to show he was being serious, “You can’t play that game. You know that, you just don’t want to accept it. I am telling you that you will shift and when you do, you wont just bring the hunters on our heads – you will bring _everyone _.”__

____

He sighed before continuing, hating to let go of his resolve but knowing she _was _right. Not that he would tell her that for the second time in the same night but still.__

______ _ _

“But you’re going to have to learn to control yourself sooner or later,” Derek admitted, softening his eyes a bit. 

______ _ _

Scott stared back at him, scared and hopeful and he knew that he was going to never hear the end of it once Vanessa found out he admitted she was right _yet again _, because although he had only met the girl last week, he had a feeling that figuring out people’s feelings was a gift of hers. Looking at Scott was like looking through a time machine, where there was once a boy, in love with a girl and trying to get his life under control. He didn’t want the boy to turn out like him, cold and suspicious. Constantly pulling himself away from the world to avoid being hurt. But he didn’t want him to make the same mistakes.__

________ _ _ _ _

“There is only one way I know how to control the change,” he explained, leaning back against the side of the house, “And that is by finding yourself an anchor.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“An anchor,” the boy named Stiles scrunched up his nose, “What is that? I never came across that in my research.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“You wouldn’t,” Derek shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets to hide how uncomfortable this was already becoming, “It’s something the myths and lore rarely refer to, the closest being a bond that the wolf shares with something or someone that they have a strong connection to. Some myths refer to them as mates, like how wolves only mate for life. Others only vaguely imply it, but almost all werewolf legends have a werewolf with a strong connection to a place, a person or a thing that centers them.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“What’s yours?” Scott asked, curiosity burning inside him. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Anger. I hold onto it and it gives me purpose. Widens my basic instincts to thoughts, plans, actions all based around that one thing. Anger is an emotion that I will always have and therefore can’t be taken away, thus taking away my control.” 

________ _ _ _ _

Derek looked Scott in the eye, giving him his first task as a mentor, “Find your anchor. And I will _think _about letting you play that game on Saturday.”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

He began walking to his front steps, his enhanced picking up Scott’s friend muttering to him, “ _Let you _? What is he your _mom _now?”____

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He heard Scott’s reply, “Who knows but at least he gave me something this time.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek could almost hear Vanessa’s _I told you so _singing to him as he bunked down for the night, Stiles’ jeep driving off and back to the main road.__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	9. God, I Love Lacrosse (Definently For the Werewolf Drama and Not For the Hot Guys)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you get when you mix a very violent game, a volatile werewolf whose crush seems to be supporting the wrong guy and a whole lot of hot guys (specifically one who has a god-bless jawline and a sexy accent)?
> 
> A very interesting night for one Vanessa O'Connor, that's what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This my favorite chapter so far - comment if you agree or disagree!
> 
> Or don't.

Vanessa didn’t like wasting money. It was a putrid thing to do and something that led to an unhealthy habit that contributed to mental illness and a life of financial problems. But that didn’t stop her from at least _imagining _throwing her phone at the wall when it rang for the _fifth time that morning _.____

_____ _

She lunged from her bed and hit answer before she could go through with her impulses. 

_____ _

“ _ **WHAT** _?” she roared into the phone.__

_______ _ _ _

“Look, I’m sorry for what happened last night –“ 

_______ _ _ _

“Stiles, really don’t want to hear it right now –“ 

_______ _ _ _

“No, just listen –“ 

_______ _ _ _

“No, I’m tired –“ 

_______ _ _ _

“ **SCOTT’S MISSING**!” he exclaimed, halting her just as she was about to hang up. 

_______ _ _ _

_Well, that little promise didn't last long, did it?_

_________ _ _ _ _ _

She groaned to herself and shut her eyes tight, “Pick me up.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Tossing her phone on her bed, she fumbled for some pants and sneakers to run in before waiting outside for Stiles to show up. She climbed in before the car even stopped and didn’t say anything for at least five minutes while the boy stewed in his sins beside her. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles turned to her, the regret apparent in his expression, “I really am sorry, Nessie –“ 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **Don’t** _,” she growled, avoiding his eyes as she looked out the window for a sign of a wayward werewolf running around, “I’m not in the mood to hear your excuses or your half-assed apologies.”__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How did you even lose him in the first place? I thought you two were teaming up to get Derek’s ass 'thrown into jail',” she said, her tone mocking when she added the last bit. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles groaned, “We didn’t go through with it, okay! We may act stupid sometimes but we’re really not that dumb.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sure.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, Derek even tried to help I think, in his own way, I guess?” he explained, frowning slightly at his words, “He told Scott to find his anchor?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What’s that?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Something that Scott has a strong connection to that would centre him, something that gives him a reason to stay in control. To stay human.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Like what?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Derek said it could be a person, place or thing. His is apparently anger, which makes a lot of sense.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She scoffed in amusement, sharing a smile with Stiles before remembering that she was supposed to be mad at him. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, duh. Then Scott’s is obviously Allison!” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Isn’t she the one that makes his heart go from zero to one hundred in five seconds flat though? 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s also the one who makes him want to be human. He doesn’t want to change for several reasons but they all revolve around Allison. He doesn’t want to be found out by the hunters – who is the daughter of one of those hunters?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison,” Stiles answered off the bat, staring ahead as he tried to get where she was going. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He doesn’t want to lose front line – who was cheering him on at that first practice? Who did he show off for?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who is the first girl that has noticed him? That he might be falling in love with and doesn’t want to lose?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s right so where is he right now?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison’s – “ 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They both looked at each other like they were both idiots for not realizing where their friend was in the first place as Stiles quickly turned the jeep around. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When they made it there, Allison informed the two that Scott left just a bit before they arrived. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And that her dad hit him with his car. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **WAIT WHAT** _?” they both shouted, panicked that the hunter had already tried to off their friend.__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison laughed at them, quickly rushing to explain that it was an accident. They exchanged looks before Stiles raced to his car, pulling out of the Argent’s driveway and down the street. Without Vanessa. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay,” she grounded out, turning towards her friend who was standing at her door with a quizzical look on her face, “Since my ride just left, would it be too much trouble to ask for a ride with you and your folks?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She nodded, smiling brightly, “Sure, no problem. Is Stiles okay though? He seemed really worried. Scott’s fine, like we checked him over and he didn’t break anything, thank God!” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa waved her off, scoffing, “Oh yeah, Stiles probably just remembered he's also on the lacrosse team and had to be there early otherwise Coach would have his hide.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They both laughed as Allison stepped out of the way so that Vanessa could come inside. She hadn’t noticed the first time around when Derek dropped her off, but Allison’s house was huge. Two stories of white marble and class, she had to resist looking like an idiot walking around with her mouth dragging behind her as the taller of the two led her into the kitchen where an older couple were talking. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They halted their conversation immediately at the sight of them. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison,” the woman with the short, faded red hair began, smiling tightly, “You didn’t tell me that we were going to be entertaining a guest.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Mom,” Allison began, waving her hands to gesture to Vanessa, “this is one of my new friends from school, Vanessa. Vanessa, these are my parents.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hi,” she stepped forward, extending her hand to the woman first, getting a sense that the mother was really the one you didn’t want to cross, “I’m terribly sorry for intruding. My ride seems to have left without me and I wondering if I was able to catch a ride with you fine people to the lacrosse game at school? Allison told me you guys were going.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The woman glanced at her husband, who nodded in confirmation before taking her hand and shaking it firmly, “It’s nice to meet you, Vanessa. You have very nice manners – rare in children now a days.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The red haired gave a pointed look at her daughter before continuing, “And if it’s alright with your parents, we would love to give you a ride to school.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa ignored the subtle tension between mother and daughter and extend her hand to Allison’s father, who took it with a smile, “Both my mom’s are at work tonight and I told them I was getting a lift with friends as not to take their focus off their jobs. They work really hard and I didn’t want to make them feel bad for not being able to take me themselves.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do they do?” Allison’s father, who she learned from Allison was named Chris, asked politely. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Lisa is a nurse and Sarah is a deputy.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do you always refer to them by name?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Mom _,” Allison hissed in embarrassment, thinking it was rude.__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa smiled good naturedly, “Sometimes, especially when I’m talking about them to friends, so they don’t get confused.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison interrupted her mother before she could continue with anymore possible questions, “We’re going to go upstairs to get changed.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Grasping the shorter girl’s hand, she tugged her out of the kitchen as Chris yelled, “We’re leaving in half an hour!” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The dark-haired girl sighed from where they climbed to the top of the staircase, “I am _so _sorry about them.”__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They seem like really nice people,” Vanessa remarked. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_For hunters that is _, she added silently to herself.__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They can be a bit overbearing sometimes but what can you do?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa laughed, shrugging alongside her, “Parents are parents, after all.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl led her to her bedroom to the right of the staircase. Vanessa whistled in approval as she walked through, “Nice place you got here by the way.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks, it’s definently roomier than our complex in San Francisco.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll bet,” Vanessa scoffed, flopping onto the bed and rolling her eyes into the back of her head at the soft comforter, “Your bed is a marshmallow, you realize that right.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison laughed as she opened her wardrobe and began combing through her outfits. Vanessa rolled onto her stomach to watch in interest, a sly smile making it’s way on her lips. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you trying to impress Scott tonight?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl gasped over her shoulder at her before biting her lips sheepishly, “Maybe?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Since it’s cold tonight, it going to be all about the coat,” Vanessa explained, rolling off the bed to stand next to her, “Can i?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, yeah go for it.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She fingered through the designer labels until she found a soft, creamy coat that would look absolutely cute with Allison’s dark hair. The girl pulled it out and held it up to her, telling her friend as much. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison threw it on over her outfit, before turning to Vanessa and taking in her clothes that she threw on thinking that she would be spending the day in the woods hunting her best friend down. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What about you?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t worry about me! Your boyfriend is the one on first line tonight – not mine!” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Firsty, Scott’s not my boyfriend –“ 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yet.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Secondly,” Allison emphasized, turning back to the closet and pulling out a hunter green cashmere sweater dress and a black suede jacket, “I seem to remember a _certain boy _from art class is also on the team. And I know that you definently left an impression.”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa started to moan dreamily at the mere mention of the boy she dubbed ‘god-blessed’ before she caught onto what her friend was saying, “Wait, hold up! I left a _what now _?”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wasn’t it obvious?” the girl shook her head at her, “Didn’t you see the way he was looking at you?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You mean when he was _sketching me for his portrait _?”__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, before that! He was totally caught up in you!” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“When the hell was this and where the heck was I?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Caught up in him? It was kind of right before your hand slipped and you almost fell over, remember?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How could I forget?” Vanessa snorted, gesturing to the dark-haired girl, “You and Erica had a good laugh over that!” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sorry,” Allison laughed in a way that said how not sorry she really was, “But I’m not lying. So, get changed, don’t worry about your clothes and let’s go show our school spirit.” 

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Vanessa threw her head back laughing at the sly wink the tall girl sent her. 

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“I’m definitely rubbing off on you.” \- 

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She was grateful that Allison had convinced her to change because the air was cold tonight in a way that would have killed her if she opted for her simple sweatshirt to defend her against the crisp night air. Players were already on the field when her, Allison and her father took a seat at the bleachers. The two girls huddled close, trying to get warm as they searched the field for their respective interests. Vanessa found hers straight away, as tall and handsome as he was standing with a group of guys as one of them was talking about something with wild hand gestures. 

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She once again found herself caught up in the major question of the night - how the fuck was a guy that beautiful and that single. 

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_He better be single or else I’m gonna riot._

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She felt Allison tug at her sleeve and followed the finger she pointed to her two best friends coming from the locker rooms together in the shoulder pads and jerseys. Allison waved at them while Vanessa flipped them both the bird albeit while smiling. 

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Suddenly Scott was jerked to attention by the sudden appearance of Lydia Martin’s hand scrunched up in the front of the red cloth he was wearing. They watched the strawberry blonde get up in his face, whispering harshly at him while the boy frowned in confusion. 

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“What is she saying?” Allison whispered to her, concern barely concealed behind feigned casualness. 

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“With Lydia, it could be anything.” 

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The referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the game as red and white players clashed. She noticed someone out of the corner of her eye and waved at them, “Hey Chief!” 

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Sheriff Stilinski jerked his head around to see who was calling him and squinted at her, “Vanessa? Out to support the boys?” 

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“Yes sir!” she saluted, causing him to crack a smile. 

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“Enjoy the game,” he waved before climbing the bleachers to find a seat. 

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Allison leaned in, “That’s Stiles’ dad right?” 

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Vanessa nodded eagerly, “Yep. He’s also my godfather.” 

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“Oh really. Nice.” 

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Two players from the red team clashed and she sighed, knowing full well it must be Jackson and Scott. They watched the former ram the other boy into the ground in revenge for dislocating his shoulder as he took off with the ball. Both girls cringed, albeit for different reasons. 

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Allison, because that looked like it hurt and Vanessa, because if that were her, she’d be royally pissed off. 

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A mood she sincerely did not want Scott to be in tonight of all nights. Or any night for that matter. 

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Jackson threw the ball into net, scoring a goal that had the whole bleachers standing up roaring. Lydia appeared next to the girls, asking them to raise a poster she made. As Vanessa read the letters, she felt her stomach drop in dread. Especially Allison had one hand to the bottom of something that read ‘ **WE LUV U JACKSON** ’. 

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If that wasn’t a kick in the nuts, she didn’t know what was. Vanessa glanced at Stiles and saw him mouth the words ‘Brutal’ from the bench. That one word pretty much summed it up. Scott shook his head, running off to get into position. Vanessa noticed he stopped to stare at where Jackson had rounded up a group of guys and seemed to be giving him directions, including his best friend Danny Mahealani. The tilt of his head told her all she needed to know, Scott was listening in. And by the sudden tension in his shoulders, he did not like what he was hearing. 

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He started with his head down and kept it like that, even when the referee approached him with a look of mild concern. That was what tipped her off that her best friend was halfway to shifting right there in the middle of the field. She looked around desperately, hoping to catch a glimpse of Derek’s familiar black jacket but couldn’t see him in the crowd or on the outskirts of the field. 

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One of the guys from the rival team that was positioned behind him backed off, wariness pouring from him. She would have been highly amused if it wasn’t because he was giving off ‘urge to kill’ vibes. Allison put her fingers to her lips, worry clouding her eyes as her father asked her to point out Scott. Lydia scoffed from where she sat beside Vanessa, rolling her eyes in derision at his name. 

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“Number 11,” the girl drawled, cocking her head in mocking, “Otherwise known as the _only _one who hasn’t caught a _single _ball this _entire _game.”______

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“That’s because no one has thrown it to him despite the fact that he’s open,” Vanessa argued, defending her friend. 

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“I hope he’s okay,” Allison said softly, eyes fixed on the boy she liked. 

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“I hope _we’re _okay,” Lydia muttered after, her eyes fixed on the scoreboard that presented that the home team was behind by two points, “We need to win this!”__

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The girl hopped up with her poster before looking at them both expectantly. Vanessa excused herself to go stand beside Melissa McCall in order to escape further provoking her friend and wished to the Gods that she could drag Allison along with her. For her part, Allison gave her look that said she was feeling something similar as got up beside Lydia and reluctantly held the sign declaring support for Scott’s rival. 

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Vanessa gritted her teeth as she clambered down the bleachers, appearing beside her godmother. 

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“Hey sweetie,” the older woman smiled, although a bit unenthusiastically which was fair considering her son was getting his ass kicked around, “How you are doing?” 

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“Shouldn’t I be asking _you _that?” the girl joked softly. Melissa turned her eyes back to her son, who was staring at the two girls behind them.__

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“Probably should be asking Scott that,” she murmured, as the whistle was blown once more. 

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The ball was thrown high in air and as she saw her best friend’s head whip up, she knew he was going to pull one of his supernaturally enhanced stunts. The boy jumped up and over a player from the rival team as the cheers got louder, catching the ball in his net before landing. 

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“ _Oh, here we go _,” Vanessa gritted her teeth as she grounded out sarcastically.__

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Melissa took it for encouragement and echoed in enthusiastically, hollering as her son took of down the field with the ball, ducking and dodging blocks with speed and agility that professionals could only dream of. The older woman jumped around like a child on Christmas as Scott heaved his stick and pitched the ball, scoring another goal for the home team. 

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Vanessa couldn’t help the smirk that appeared on her face despite the obviously concerning thing happening with her friend - but hey, their team needed to keep up their winning streak! 

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The whistle blew again and as the rival team scooped up the ball to head to the other direction, the player stopped as Scott blocked his path. She could see the look of sheer terror that overcame his face as he pitched the ball to the player on the rival team, making the whole audience roar in shock. Scott made another run to the other end of the field, pitching the ball with enough strength that she could see it rip through the opposing player’s net and into the goal behind him. 

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_Shit, things are getting wolfie _.__

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Once again, the whistle blew and once again, Scott ended up with the ball. But this time no dodging was required as a growl, loud enough to reach Vanessa’s ears, warned away anyone who attempted to come near him. She saw Stiles stand up with his eyes fixed on their friend, mouthing the word ‘no’ repeatedly as he realized that Scott was no longer a player in a game. He was an animal, and right now he was cornered. 

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Vanessa prayed silently – as that was what you did to prevent disasters that were headed your way. Melissa muttered encouragements from beside her. And then something shifted in the air. As the time counted down from five seconds and the rival players closed in on him, instead of attacking like she assumed he would, her friend instead made to hurl back his stick for a massive throw that sent the ball hurling into the net, ultimately winning the first game of the season for them. 

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In shock and relief, she screamed out alongside the rest of the crowd, jumping up and down alongside Melissa and giving her a hug. She heard Stiles shouting out in victory from the benches and laughed, thanking the gods that nobody died tonight. The crowd rushed the field to congratulate players and as she joined Allison to look for Scott, they found him running off into the dark. A sudden jolt separated the two girls, losing sight of one another in the masses. Vanessa turned to yell at whoever knocked into her and found herself drooling like one of Pavlov’s dogs. 

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Isaac blinked down at her in surprise, clearly not having expected to see her there behind him. 

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_Well, that makes two of us, buddy, because boy, was I not prepared to see you so close and chiselled._

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His hair was darkened with sweat that ran in droplets down his forehead and the blue of his eyes was unfathomable due to the lack of good lighting but he still managed to look fifty shades of _God-bless America _. She traced his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, lips that looked as soft as feathers forming soundless syllables as he tried to find the words to say to her.__

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_Alright, Ness. Time to take the wheel for him._

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“Hey!” she smiled up at him, hoping to God there wasn’t anything in her teeth, “Nice playing out there!” 

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“Uh yeah,” he stammered before clearing his throat, “Although, your friend kind of gave us all a run for our money.” 

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She heard a slight accent in his voice and wondered where his parents were from. She placed bets on England, but he had surprised her so far, he’d probably do it again. She giggled – yeah, that’s right giggled – at him and his eyes got wider at the sound. 

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_You probably sound like a fucking lunatic, Nessa._

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“Scott’s a wild card,” she settled with saying, shrugging her shoulders before glancing up at him through flittering lashes, “Maybe you can give him a taste of his own medicine in the next game?” 

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She watched his lips twitch and resisted the urge to lick her lips, already aware she was looking at him like he was a four coursed meal. Before he had the chance to respond, someone bellowed out his name and all wonder and amusement drained out of his face and was replaced by panic. 

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“I gotta –“ he hurried to explain, gesturing to someone behind him. 

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She nodded in understanding, swallowing her disappointment and feeding him with a small smile. 

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“Yep. See you in class?” 

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“See you,” he said, waving as he hastily made his way to an older man who was presumably his father. 

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_I hate to see him go, but I love to watch him leave._

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Vanessa snapped out of her daydream and took off to where Scott was headed the last time she saw him, chastising herself for getting caught up in a _really _pretty face.__

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Stiles caught up with her just as she entered the building but as he went to tell her something, she held up her hands and gestured for him to be quiet as they snuck into the locker rooms. Vanessa held her breathe and tried to calm her heartbeat as she tip toed on the tile floor and peeked around the corner of the showers to see Allison and Scott, kissing for the first time. 

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The boy beside her rolled his eyes, mouthing ‘ _oh god _!’ before being pulled to the side so that they remained hidden from the couple.__

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“I gotta get back to my dad,” they heard Allison say, breathy and with a voice full of smiles. The quick smack of a goodbye kiss rang out before she turned to leave. As she was on her way out, she caught the two peeping behind the lockers and waved an awkward hand in acknowledgement. 

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“Stiles, Ness,” she smiled at them. 

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“Hey, yeah,” Stiles smirked in response, raising his own hand as she walked past them on her way out. 

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Scott tittered towards them with a goofy smile on his face, the kind one makes when they had the best dream and didn’t want to wake up, “I kissed her.” 

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The pure amazement in his voice made her smile and Stiles clapped his hands proudly, “I saw.” 

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“She _kissed _me.”__

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“We saw that too,” Vanessa chimed with a knowing look. 

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“It was pretty good, huh?” Stiles winked at him with a grin. 

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Scott stammered, eyes widening in wonder, “I do-don’t know how, but I controlled it. I pulled it back. Maybe I can do this. Maybe it’s not that bad.” 

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Stiles laughed alongside him as Vanessa smiled, “You’ve found your anchor. It’s Allison. As long as you think of her, you will always be reminded of why you need to fight for control.” 

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Vanessa clapped both of them on the shoulder, beaming up at them, “Who’s in the mood for pizza?” 

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Their answering grins told her everything but as she made to leave, Stiles placed a hand on her arm to stop her. 

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“Before we go, I – I mean we, want to apologize,” he looked down at her with soft eyes apologetically, “You were right. My dad ID the dead girl and it was Laura Hale.” 

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“Oh,” the light in her eyes dulled for a moment and disappointment took root, “Thanks, I guess.” 

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Stiles frowned at her response before realizing that she hoped for more of an apology, “And we’re sorry for leaving you out. We didn’t mean to make you feel like we were keeping stuff from you and if you want, you can totally tap our phones.” 

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Scott was nodding along until the last bit where he jerked his head with wide eyes at Stiles, “What?” 

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Vanessa scoffed, grinning happily at them, “That’s not necessary. But you can make it up to me by shouting for pizza.” 

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“Deal.”

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	10. Dreams Of Dalliances With Your Latest Crush (Or In Scott McCall's Case, of Ripping Her Throat Out)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott's not having the sort of dreams most teenager boys should be having about the girl they like. Stiles is having too many of them from the sounds of things. Jackson needs to invest more into getting his locker repaired and less in the products he uses in his hair. Vanessa get's caught texting in Harris's homeroom - which is a one way ticket to hell itself.
> 
> But Erica and Allison are still fucking adorable and Isaac's oblivious to the fact Vanessa's brain cells are fried around him.
> 
> And than there's Derek, still working on not traumatizing kids with his anger issues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a bit longer so enjoy.  
> Also, for those that think i'm overreacting about Harris's evilness clearly hasn't seen a teacher who has unlocked their students phone before. It's like putting a ball of yarn in front of a cat and being surprised when the little critter get's all up in the thing like it's nobodies business.

“So, you killed her?” Stiles asked casually as he held the door open for them. 

Vanessa couldn’t believe he just said that with a straight face. Not even a straight face, an amused face. As if that sentence wasn’t completely bizarre. As if the whole thing wasn’t completely bizarre. And concerning. Most definently alarming. 

“I don’t know. I woke up,” Scott explained, hands holding the straps of his bag, “And I was sweating like crazy, I couldn’t breathe. I’ve never had a dream where I woke up like that before.” 

“Really? I have dreams, usually ends a little differently though,” Stiles shrugged, pulling a face as if to say, ‘we’re all unique and individual human beings’. Except he was wrong because their best friend was a _fucking werewolf _.__

____

Scott sent him a look and sighed, “A, I meant I’ve never had a dream that has felt that real and B, _never _give me that much detail about you in bed ever again.”__

______ _ _

“Preach,” Vanessa muttered from beside them, miming sticking her finger down her throat. 

______ _ _

Stiles puffed out his cheeks, nodding, “Noted. Let me take a guess here –“ 

______ _ _

“No, I know. You think it has something to do with me going out with Allison tomorrow. Like I’m going to lose control and rip her throat out,” Scott interrupted, trailing off with his head hanging low and his morale hanging lower. 

______ _ _

Stiles scrunched up his nose at the morbid comment, “No, of course not.” 

______ _ _

Scott sent him a silent _get real _before the other boy admitted without much regret, “Yeah, that’s totally it.”__

________ _ _ _ _

Vanessa raised an eyebrow at him, which he ultimately ignored as he sighed, slinging his arm around Scott, “Hey, come on. It’s gonna be fine alright? Personally, I think you’re handling this pretty freakin' amazingly. You know it’s not like there’s a Lycanthropy for Beginner’s class you can take.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Not a class but maybe a teacher,” she reminded them, sending them questioning looks, “Have you talked to Derek? I thought you agreed to go to his house so that he _could _teach you Lycanthropy for Beginners, as Stiles put it?”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, the thing is that the morning Scott went crazy from the wolfsbane we stole from Derek’s front yard,” Stiles began to explain before she cut in. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Which you still haven’t told me about –“ 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“One thing at a time, impatient one,” Stiles chastised before continuing on, “That was the same morning we told Derek that we would come talk to him.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s okay – he’s probably assumed from the lack of mass hysteria that everything worked out find. I’ll send him a text to tell him to expect you after school.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott nodded before growing serious again, “It just felt so real…. like it actually happened.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa shivered at his dark tone, kicking open the door and walking out of the building. It was Stiles who noticed it first, putting a handout to them both to stop them in their tracks. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

They all gaped at the scene before them, not quiet believing what they were seeing. Police deputies were gathered around where the buses were parked, the one in the middle a crime scene. Bloody handprints and splatters stood out starkly against the yellow, enough to make anyone turn nauseous. But it wasn’t the blood that got to them, but rather the twisted metal that was once the bag door, now hanging off it’s hinges. Scratch marks that were long and deep covered the inside as if a huge animal had clawed it out in it’s attempt to escape. Or to attack someone. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think it did,” Stiles gasped out in response to Scott’s earlier statement, causing Vanessa’s blood to run cold. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott turned around, hastily making his way back the way they came as he fumbled with his mobile phone. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s probably fine!” the other boy reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I talked to her last night before I went to bed. She didn’t say anything about going out or you, for that matter.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

That was a lie. The whole conversation was about Scott and their first kiss. But she wasn’t lying when she meant they didn’t talk about Allison going out in relation to Scott. As in she wasn’t meeting him anywhere. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She isn’t answering my texts,” Scott exclaimed desperately as he craned his neck to look around. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It could just be a coincidence, all right?” Stiles suggested, throwing his hands out wide as their friend spun around in frantic circles while they walked. Vanessa swallowed back a scoff, not believing in coincidences like these – especially now that she knew werewolves existed. No more explaining weird events away with the word ‘coincidence’. She knew that Stiles didn’t actually believe it himself and was just trying to calm their friend down. Prevent him from jumping to conclusions. And maybe jumping out windows. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“A seriously amazing coincidence,” he repeated. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Just help me find her, okay?” was all Scott said, tugging at them both as he increased his pace. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa fought to keep up, the boys’ strides longer than hers. She started to frown as Scott began to grow restless, his face scrunching up like it was in pain until he turned the corner to crash against a locker. The boy bellowed his anger and turmoil before pulling back his fist and sending it into the locker. The metal didn’t stand a chance, his fist putting a huge dent into it and causing it to fly open. They stepped back and watched their friend pant as he placed a hand on the undamaged locker beside him to look at what he had done. They murmured his name, but he didn’t appear to hear them as he backed up scared before crashing into the girl he so desperately sought out. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Attention, students, this is your principal. I know you’re all wondering about the incident that occurred last night to one of our buses. While the police work to determine what happened, classes will proceed as schedules. Thank you.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa rolled her eyes as she turned to Stiles, “The only way classes would be dismissed for the day was if the entire student body was dead.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles snorted in agreement as they watched Allison run a hand through Scott’s mop of a hair, smiling sweetly as she asked him to save her a seat at lunch. She smiled and waved at Vanessa and Stiles before continuing on her way to homeroom. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The three smiled as they turned to find Jackson Whittemore wondering what the hell happened to locker. Stiles cracked up laughing, drawing the boy’s attention. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What are you looking at, asswipe?” he snapped, eyes settled on Scott despite the fact both her and Stiles were pissing themselves over the boy’s locker. Vanessa gave them both hugs, telling Scott to breathe and think of Allison if he felt himself get stressed again before skipping away to homeroom. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Which she forgot – _not _– she also shared with the subject of her newfound crush, Isaac Lahey. She sprinted for the classroom in the hopes of getting there before Harris, but she knew that it was for naught. She stumbled through the door, déjà vu taking the wheel as she gave the teacher now staring at her with an unimpressed look a dazzling smile.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sit down, Miss O’Connor,” she heard for the second time in two weeks, making her way through while trying to hide her burning cheeks – and her burning desires – for the boy she realized actually sat in front of her. Isaac caught her eyes and gave her a small, unsure smile which she returned, beaming. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was probably taking it too far with the amount of sunshine she was exhibiting but who could blame her when she got a smile from a beautiful boy like that. Admittingly, he did smile like he thought she was going to reach out and stab him with a hidden steak knife, but she’ll take what she could get. She wasn’t picky. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Erica was sending her a knowing smile which she rolled her eyes at, darting her eyes down to her phone to imply she wanted to text her something. The blonde nodded hesitantly, looking at Harris with fear that Vanessa did not possess. Apparently, she didn’t possess common sense because as soon as she went to type out a message. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **MISS O’CONNOR**!” 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The rest of the class jumped in their seats but not Vanessa, who groaned and threw back her head in dread. She sighed before making her way to his desk and tossing the phone ontop of it before beginning to make her way back to her spot. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Uh uh uh _,” Harris said, malicious intent obvious in his voice as she turned to find him beckoning her back to the front, “You were about to text someone else. Who was it?”__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“My manager Sally, she wanted to know if I could do a shift this weekend because it’s her kid’s birthday and she doesn’t trust Mike to take over the café for the day,” Vanessa lied effortlessly, not batting an eyelash. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Harris raised a brow, snake eyes staring into what felt like her soul before he gestured to her phone. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Read out your reply.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She shrugged, plucking it off the table and settling herself so that she was comfortably leaning against his desk she made up a script on the spot, “Hey Sal, can't work this weekend. I –“ 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her phone was snatched from her hands as Harris read out the real reply. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Shut up. He’s too fucking god-blessed and you know it _.”__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The rest of the room burst out laughing, probably more to do with Harris swearing than the actual text but it still made her groan along. She caught Erica’s eyes, catching her friend apologizing silently. She waved it off, thinking that was it and Harris would let her take the walk of shame back to her desk but than he asked the most cursed question of all. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who is this boy that has earned such high praised?” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She gulped and immediately her defense mechanism fired it’s first automated response, “Ryan Reynolds.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Try again.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Brad Pitt.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t believe you.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How about,” she paused for dramatic effect, both thriving and dying in the class’s amusement of her suffering, “Vin Diesel? Him in Pitch Black was very dreamy. Him in Fast and Furious? _Drop dead sexy _.”__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her purr at the end set the class off. Harris rolled his eyes and waited for the laughter to die down. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know you’re probably referring to someone in this school – _**who is it** _?”__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Fine,” she pretended to be all shy before fluttering her eyes at him, “You caught me. You’ve been the object of my affections for a while now, teach –“ 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Last chance or I’m calling up your parents.” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She threw up her hands like she was revealing her deepest secret and exclaimed, “Stiles Stilinski.” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Some people gasped out in shock, recognizing the name but not the face as the one she had been hanging with since kindergarten, taking her seriously for once. She inwardly rolled her eyes at the price she had to pay to get Harris off her back. Unfortunately, Harris knew her too well (because he was secretly in love with her (not)) and he rolled his eyes. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, I’ll be calling your parents this afternoon.” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Come on _, sir, that’s a _bit _extreme.”____

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you don’t want me to do it, then give me a name - a _realistic _one this time.”__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Have you _seen _Ryan Reynolds?” she gaped at him incredulously before seeing that he was being serious.__

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She crossed her arms over her chest. There was no way in hell she was going to tell the truth. But there was also no way she could give out anyone else’s name. The guy was smart, he could probably tell from her flushed cheeks it was someone in the class and knew it was only moments before he started reading out the names on the roll to gauge her reaction. Her eyes flickered across the room, catching Isaac’s gaze. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He raised an eyebrow at her, leaning his chin against his hand with interest and amusement. He mouthed to him, ‘Just tell him.’ 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Aww, he’s so sweet – there’s no way in hell I’m giving his name up._

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sent jutted out her chin in defiance, “This is just one secret I am taking to my grave, sir.” 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Your parents will be thrilled to hear that when I tell them that was your reason for texting during roll call.” 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You think two _lesbians _won’t know about keeping secrets?” she joked, causing him to raise a brow.__

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__“Sit back down, O’Connor. You’ve entertained us enough for today.”_ _

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__“It was my highest honor,” she snarked, walking back to her seat as applause filled the room. She waved dramatically and sent kisses, pretending to catch flowers and affections that were thrown her way as she flopped down to wait for the bell._ _

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac turned in his seat, frowning slightly, “Why didn’t you just tell him?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And let Harris win for once?” she scoffed, shaking her head at him as if he didn’t know better, “That’d be like letting Hitler win World War II. Bad idea.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His lips twitched into that small smile of his as he responded, “You make a good point.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her eyes brightened at him as she remembered something from what Erica was telling her about him on the phone on the weekend, “Hey, you’re in AP Psychology right?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” his brow furrowed slightly, his English– because it was definently English – lilt making an appearance once more, “Why do you ask?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I was wondering if you might do me a huge favor? I’m in Psychology and I’m kind of flunking. I was wondering if you would be interested in tutoring me after school?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She saw a million different emotions pass through those deep-set eyes of his, each one barely discernable from the other. She could see he was hesitant, for what reason she wasn’t sure before he nodded, “I think that would be alright. I can’t do Monday or Wednesday afternoons though.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That left her three afternoons with him – which was more than she originally hoped for. She thought that lacrosse might be an issue with him but it seemed that he wasn’t too concerned with training. She tried not show her eagerness as she grinned at him, “Perfect. Tomorrow then?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Tomorrow,” he agreed, getting to his feet as the bell rang, “See you.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Bye,” she waved, before descending into a dream like state, leaning her head on her hands. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I hate to watch him go but I love to –_

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you don’t want to tip off Mr. Harris with who your mystery crush is, I suggest you make a run for it.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Erica tugged her up and pulled her out of the class before the teacher could squeeze her for more information, which she hugged her gratefully for as they walked by the backdoors to get to study hall, passing the windows that overlooked the bus. They stopped in their tracks as they watched a man wheeled out on a stretcher causing her to gasp in shock and dread when he sprung up screaming. Erica shrieked as they clung to each other and she knew that somehow, somewhere Scott had seen it too and was on his way to another meltdown. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Erica told her that she was going to be in the library studying with a friend of hers, someone she referred to only as Boyd, so Vanessa – not wanting to intrude on them – found Scott and Stiles talking about the man that everybody apparently saw this morning from every classroom window. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But dreams aren’t memories,” Stiles reasoned, sliding his tray down on the other side of the table, Vanessa taking a seat down beside him. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But it wasn’t a dream,” Scott insisted, taking his place to the across from Stiles, “Something happened last night, and I can’t remember what.” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, we’ll go to Derek’s house this afternoon and find out what he knows,” Vanessa put a handout to pat Scott’s hand with a confident smile. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How can we be sure that Derek even has all the answers?” Stiles muttered, still sceptical of their semi-ally. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because during the full moon he didn’t change,” Scott replied, voice frayed with desperation, “He was in total control while I was running around in the middle of the night, attacking some totally innocent guy!” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two boys argued about what they did and didn’t know happened which turned into Scott getting eaten up by his anxiety and insisting that he should cancel his date with Allison. Stiles was trying to convince him not to when another tray was put down beside Scott, as Lydia Martin looked at them with green eyes that glimmered mischievously and a smirk that spelt trouble. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lydia’s clique took seats around them, following their leader dutifully. Taya, Danny and Jett took their seats by Stiles and Vanessa as Allison smiled down at Scott, sitting beside him like this wasn’t totally out of the ordinary. Finally, Jackson made an appearance at the head of the table where Jett was sitting and gave him a steely look, demanding that he got up. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How come you never ask Danny to get up?” Jett whined, eyes wide and reluctant. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I don’t stare at his girlfriend’s coin slot,” Danny snarked, taking a bite of his green apple before changing the subject to what everyone was thinking about, “So, I hear they’re saying it’s some type of animal attack. Probably a cougar?” 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I heard mountain lion,” Jackson drawled, leaning back in his seat. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“A cougar _is _a mountain lion,” Lydia corrected, staring down at her tray before noticing Jackson’s quirked eyebrow and quickly scrunching up her face in confusion, “Isn’t it?”__

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who cares?” he scoffed before going on to theorize that the guy was homeless and that he would have died soon anyway. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa noticed Stiles scrolling through his phone and saw what he was reading before he told the group, “Actually I just found out who it is. Check it out.” 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The video of the Sheriff and deputies on the scene played as Vanessa scrambled for her own phone to type a message out to Derek about what she had learnt. As the rest of the group moved on to what they were doing tomorrow night, with both Scott and Jackson looking like they would rather spend the evening stabbing themselves over and over with fork rather than go on a double date with their respective girlfriends. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Both Vanessa and Stiles grimaced at the disastrous idea alone, exchanging looks of pain as the conversation continued. When Allison asked Scott if he could bowl, a flashback to Vanessa’s third grade party at the bowling alley flashed through her mind causing her to groan internally. She still didn’t know how Scott had managed to get the ball in the gutter even when the bumpers were up. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As Jackson challenged him, they noticed Scott panic as he replied firmly, “Yes. In fact, I’m a _great _bowler.”__

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang to signal that lunch was over as Lydia’s clique quickly made themselves scarce, leaving Vanessa, Stiles and Scott to walk to fourth alone. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re _**terrible** _a bowler,” Stiles exclaimed once they made sure they weren’t going to be overheard by anyone who mattered.__

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I _know _! I’m such an idiot,” Scott groaned, throwing his head back as they made their way down the steps.__

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“God, it was like watching a car wreck,” the other boy grunted in response. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Isn’t that the running theme for conversations these days,” Vanessa retorted as she tried to keep up with them. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles scoffed, nodding in agreement as he continued, “I mean, first it turned into that whole group date thing. And then out of nowhere comes that phrase -” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hang out,” Scott finished the sentence, brows furrowed in confusion. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t hang out with hot girls, okay? It’s like death,” Stiles explained in exaggeration causing Vanessa to quirk an eyebrow at him in confusion. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was hot so did that mean they were constantly in a state of death like emotions around her? 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Once it’s hanging out, you might as well be her gay best friend,” the boy continued, retorting like that was straight guy’s ultimate prison sentence. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What does that make you two?” she muttered under her breathe, largely ignored by the two as the two boys deviated off worrying about two things on the opposite end of the priority’s spectrum. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott grunted in frustration, saying he was going to be late for work as he had taken an early shift so that he could make it to Derek’s house before dark. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, am I not attractive to gay guys?!” Stiles shouted after him, muttering at the end, “He didn’t answer my question.” 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe because you can’t handle the answer, dude,” Vanessa quipped before they headed off to Psychology. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa was waiting for Lisa to finish work so they could get takeout that night. Sarah had to patrol so they thought they would swing by where she was stationed and give her dinner before heading home. The dark-haired girl was leaning against the reception desk chatting to her godmother when Scott came through the front doors carrying takeaway in his hands. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Melissa knew right away what the gesture meant and smiled sweetly, snatching it from his hands while telling him that since there was a curfew, he wouldn’t be getting the car tomorrow night. As Scott leaned over the desk, flabbergasted by his mother’s indifference to how it will impact his social life, Vanessa twisted on the spot, grinning in amusement at his dilemma. 

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Smooth, McCall,” she taunted, miming smoothness with her hands, “ _Real _smooth. Like _crunchy peanut butter _kind of smooth.”____

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks for the support,” he retorted, quirking his lips up before running his hands through his hair, “What am I going to do?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sidled up beside him and blinked innocently, “Get me takeout and I’ll let you borrow my Ford.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Deal,” he answered without hesitation before something drew his attention. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott put a hand up to tell her to wait a moment before walking off, leaving Vanessa shrugging at her strange behaviour. She busied herself with typing out a text to Allison telling her that Scott would pick her up tomorrow night in her car because his mom wouldn’t let him take hers before the sound of a man screaming out could be heard. Melissa took off towards the direction Scott went and Vanessa new immediately that the commotion was somehow connected to him as she followed the older woman to a room across the hall. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the hell are you doing in here?” she heard Melissa exclaim before pulling her son away from the terrified man and telling him to get out of the room. Vanessa watched as her friend scrambled away and out the door, almost crashing into her in his haste to leave. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _What the fuck, Scott _?” she hissed at him, pulling him down the hall and to the front doors out into the afternoon daylight, “Why were you in there?”__

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He saw me. He knew I was there. I was there, Nessa!” he panicked, pulling at his hair. 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, we’re going to Derek’s, like, right now!” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa ran back inside to tell Melissa to let her mother that she forgot she had agreed to meet Erica for a study session, running back out and hopping into her car to drive away quickly, being careful not to actual speed this time as to avoid hitting someone who didn’t have supernaturally enhanced healing as they headed to the Hale house. 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They pulled up a bit away, watching a deputy get out of his car, presumably to check out the house to see if anyone was inside it. It struck her that the house was technically county property and that Derek was the one trespassing. Her and Scott watched as the dog in the back car started barking like crazy, terrifying the already nervous man into getting back in his car and driving off. 

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She parked the car in the spot the deputy vacated and got out, knowing that Derek could hear her as she suggested with a last smile, “You know, I’ve seen your car. You definently have enough money to buy the estate back from the county.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

One minute she was staring up at the windows trying to catch a glance of the man she was looking for and the next he was in front of her, leaning against the wooden post of his porch with his eyes trained on the boy beside her. 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re late,” was all he said as he approached them, hands in his pockets. 

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“Scott wants your help, jackass. Be grateful we came at all,” Vanessa snarked, making her way up to his stairs and hopping onto the post next to him. 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think I did something last night,” the boy began, moving towards the man nervously, “I had a dream about someone, but some else got hurt. And it turns out that part of the dream might have actually happened.” 

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“You think you attacked the driver?” Derek stated, already knowing what Scott was getting at. 

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Scott frowned in suspicion at his quick guess, “Did you see what I did last night?” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Can you at least tell me the truth?” Scott asked, sighing, “Am I gonna hurt someone?” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sent the dark-haired man a look that basically said _way to let him down gently _, one Derek soundly ignored.__

________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Could I kill someone?” 

________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes.” 

________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Am I gonna kill someone?” 

________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Probably.” 

________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She cuffed him in the back of the head, not really hurting him but rather annoying the hell out of him as he fixed her with a glare as he grounded out, “ _ **Don’t do that again** _.”__

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Then stop causing panic attacks and give him actual fucking advice, dude.” 

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched as her friend leaned against the post, breathing hard at the overwhelming thought of possibly taking a life or causing harm to anyone. Derek sighed to her before softening his brows, walking to stand beside the boy, “Look, I can show you how to remember. I can show you how to control the shift, even on a full moon. But it’s not gonna come for free.” 

__________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” Vanessa snapped, springing off the post to shove herself between him and her best friend, “Are you seriously trying to _quid pro quo Clarise _my best friend right now?”__

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do you want?” Scott asked tiredly over her shoulder, giving into the fact that he can’t get the answers he wants without a price. 

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’ll find out,” Derek shook his head vaguely, “But for now, I’m going to give you what you want. Go back to the bus. Go inside. See it, feel it. Let your senses, your sight, smell, touch, let them remember for you.” 

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s it? Just go back?” Scott asked, sounding like it was too good to be true. 

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do you want know what happened?” 

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just want to know if I hurt him,” the boy replied earnestly. 

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, you don’t,” Derek called him out, leaning in close, “You want to know if you’ll hurt _**her** ___."

____________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	11. Psych Me Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rules when trying to impress a guy:  
> 1\. Don't drop him out your window!  
> 2\. Don't punch his father!  
> 3\. Drive safely ;) 
> 
> Three rules Vanessa finds she needs to constantly remind herself of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy and let me know what you thought down in the comments!

Later that night, after filling in Stiles on what Derek had told Scott, they all piled into his jeep and drove back to school. The wire gate was all that stood between them and the buses. Stiles followed Scott out of the car, leaving Vanessa in the car as she knew that someone would have to keep a look out in case someone came. 

As Scott tried to stop Stiles from following over, Vanessa leaned out of the window in time to catch Stiles ask their friend, “Why’s it starting to sound like your Batman and I’m Robin? I don’t want to be Robin all the time?” 

“Yeah, I can definently see you as a Tim Drake kind of guy,” she called out unhelpfully, grinning in excitement as she raised a hand, “Dibs being Jason Todd!” 

“Nobody’s Batman and Robin any of the time!” Scott scrunched up his face at them as if they were talking crazy. 

“Not even some of the time?” Stiles pouted causing Scott to shake his head and begin climbing the fence as if to physically escape the conversation. The other boy threw out an ‘ _Oh my God, FINE _!’ as he stormed back to the jeep to watch alongside their other friend as Scott jumped over the fence.__

____

The two teenagers busied themselves with scissors, paper, rock – the kind where you didn’t look to see what you were putting down because they were playing lookout as their best friend went through some kind of zen wolf thing to figure out if he was blacking out and attacking bus drivers. It was ten minutes until they noticed flashlights coming towards them, causing Stiles to slam his hand on the car horn to warn Scott. 

____

Their friend sprinted out of the bus, jumped on the car and somersaulted over the fence before scrambling into the jeep. Stiles reversed the car before turning hard, causing a loud screech as they sped down the road. 

____

“Did it work? Did you remember?” the boy asked, peering over his shoulder to make sure that they weren’t being followed. 

____

“Yeah, I was there last night. And the blood, a lot of it was mine,” Scott explained, holding onto the dashboard in front of him. 

____

“So, you did attack him?” 

____

“No,” Scott shook his head, turning forward as he recounted what he remembered, “I saw glowing eyes in the bus, but they weren’t mine.” 

____

“What color were they?” Vanessa interrupted, leaning over their shoulders from the back seat. 

____

“They were red, I think.” 

____

“Derek’s eyes are blue.” 

____

“I thought they were brown?” 

____

“His wolf eyes, dumbass!” 

____

“What about the driver?” Stiles questioned, cutting off their argument. 

____

“I think I was actually trying to protect him,” Scott stated, leaning on his arm. 

____

“It sounds like a pack thing. Like an initiation. You do the kill together,” Stiles theorized, waving his hand about. 

____

Vanessa considered this before nodding along, “That makes sense. Killing someone with your Alpha could demonstrate loyalty, like you accept being in the pack and doing everything that entails like hunting, protecting, providing – “ 

____

“Because _ripping someone’s throat _out is a real bonding experience?” Scott retorted incredulously.__

______ _ _

“Yeah, but you didn’t do it, which means you’re not a killer,” Stiles concluded with a relieved smile on his face, “And it also means…..” 

______ _ _

“That I can go out with Allison,” Scott finished, his own smile appearing on his face as he sat back in his seat, the tension releasing from his muscles. 

______ _ _

Stiles glanced at the boy quickly with his tongue in cheek, “I was gonna say it means, you won’t kill us.” 

______ _ _

“Oh, yeah. That too.” 

______ _ _

Vanessa snorted, shaking her head at him with a smile on her face as she enjoyed the rest of the ride to her place where she waved them off before turning to head inside. She stopped upon seeing the familiar man leaning against her mailbox and sighed. 

______ _ _

“How long have you been waiting there for me?” 

______ _ _

“What did he learn?” 

______ _ _

“That he didn’t hurt the driver,” she told him what he already knew, “We were right? The one who turned Scott called him out there as a kind of initiation ritual?” 

______ _ _

“You sound like you got it all figured out,” he expressed with a small smirk as if she hadn’t even come close to seeing the full picture. Vanessa watched as he walked towards his car and whispered, knowing he could hear her. 

______ _ _

“I would figure out more if you would simple tell me, _hardass _.”__

________ _ _ _ _

She swore that she heard a dark chuckle before she headed into her house out of the cold, exhaustion flooding her bones and knocking her out as her head hit her pillow. 

________ _ _ _ _

\- 

________ _ _ _ _

The next day, she was in Art working on that god-blessed jawline that belonged to the boy across from her as Allison chatted about her double date with Scott, Jackson and Lydia that was happening later that night. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Sounds like it will be fun,” Vanessa drawled sarcastically as her eyes flittered up to trace the curves of Isaac’s jaw, unaware of him doing the same to the bridge of her nose. 

________ _ _ _ _

Allison glanced at her, now worried by her tone, “You don’t sound like you think it will be fun.” 

________ _ _ _ _

She sighed before turning to the dark-haired girl, “Can I be honest with you?” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Please,” the girl nodded back, turning in her chair to listen to any advice she could give her. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Scott _sucks _at bowling,” she told her bluntly, leaning on her chair, “And him and Jackson hate each other.”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Isn’t that the truth,” she heard Erica mumble from behind her and sent her a grin at her smart-ass comment, liking how the girl was slowly coming out of her shell. The blonde replied with a small smile of her own before turning back to her canvas. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh god,” Allison exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand, “I totally cornered him!” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, but it’s too late to back out now so he’s what you need to do. Support him, cheer him up because I know he’s going to feel anxious about his performance already, more so with Jackson there probably putting him down. Scott’s biggest thing is he’s stressed, can’t stay calm. Loosen him up and he’ll be right as rain.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How do I do that?” the girl ran a hand through her glossy curls. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa shook her head at the girl, smiling at her obliviousness, “Just be you. Give him a smile, he likes it when you smile. Can’t blame him, it’s a really pretty smile.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The other girl blushed before breaking out into another one, “Really?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Trust me. Just breathe and he’ll be at peace.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa turned back to her piece, glancing up in time to meet Isaac’s eyes before looking away, her own cheeks turning pink as she emphasized the dip in his cheekbones with her pencil. She hated this, the way he made her feel. The way he caused her to avoid his eyes and set her cheeks a flame. She was pretty sure he didn’t even know the effect he had on her; didn’t know how she felt every time she got caught in his eyes. She wasn’t shy, she spoke her mind and made her heart known – up until now where she had chanced a face off with Harris rather than reveal her secret. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Although, she had no choice but to tell her mothers’ when he rang them about what happened in homeroom the other day and they were surprisingly sympathetic about it. So that made the tally of everyone who knew about her crush to five people, including herself. Five people that she could always kidnap and tie up if they threatened to tell anyone about it. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

As she began the ridge and the set of his brows, the bell rang to signal that school was out for the day as she packed away her things and said goodbye to the girls, walking up beside the tall boy. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey,” she smiled in greeting, almost losing her train of thought when he gave her one back, “So I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house this afternoon to study?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” Isaac stammered, eyes flickering from hers to blink around them, “Yeah, sure. I just have to go home first and let my dad know.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I can give you a lift if you want?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to – “, he began, shaking his head before she cut him off with a wave her hand. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s fine. No trouble. We can even get something to eat on the way.” “Okay,” he nodded hesitantly, following her out of the school and to the carpark where her car sat. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She popped the boot so he could put his gym bag in and hopped into the car, realizing with both dread and barely veiled nervousness that she would be spending the afternoon alone with Isaac Lahey. Her hummingbird heartbeat threatened to flutter out of her chest as she drove them through a Burger King joint where she ordered an Original Chicken sandwich and a coke before turning to him expectantly. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What did you want?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t have any money – “ 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s fine, I can shout you,” she smiled reassuringly. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I can’t – “ he shook his head, trying to wave her off before she grabbed his hand, effectively getting him to look at her so he could see she was being genuine. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really, it’s not any trouble. You’re offering to give up your afternoon to help with my grades, so ordering you a meal to tide you over you go home is nothing.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

His eyes searched hers, for what she didn’t know before he sighed, mumbling that he would like a Double Stacker King™ which she said into the machine, adding some french fries. As they got their meal and drove to the address he gave her, she offered him a sip of her drink. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did you want some?” she wagged the cup at him enticingly. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

He gave her another one of those hesitant, searching looks of his before taking the cup from her, taking a small sip before passing it back to her murmuring, “Thanks.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sent him a quick smile before putting her lips to the straw, trying to ignore the fact that his own lips had been there not even five seconds beforehand. She pulled into the driveway of Isaac’s house and unbuckled her seatbelt before he stopped her. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to come in with me,” he murmured, eyes darting from her to his house frantically. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She patted his hand, “It’s fine, I’m just going to say hi to your dad, tell him I’ll drop you home before six-ish and all that stuff.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac looked reluctant to have her come in and she blinked, wondering silently if he might not want her to meet his dad. Just before she was going to wave it off and tell him she would wait in the car; he gave her a nod before getting out. She followed him inside, noticing how tall he was that his head almost brushed the top of the doorway and sighed dreamily. As you could tell, she liked tall guys – so did every other girl you probably know. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Dad,” Isaac called out into the house, shoulders slouched as a deep voice replied that they were in the garage. He led her around a corner and stopped at the doorway, where she could see a vaguely familiar middle-aged man hunched over a car. When he got up and turned around wiping the grease off his face with a cloth, she realized that he used to coach the swimming team at their school. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

He looked at Isaac frowning before turning his attention onto her, obviously wanting an introduction. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Dad, this is Vanessa. I’m tutoring her in Psychology,” the boy explained, shuffling his feet. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mr. Lahey crossed his arms over his chest, scoffing, “ _Why _?”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa ignored the obvious tension and stepped forward with her hand out, “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if I’m inconveniencing you but since your son is in AP Psychology, I thought that he would be able to help me raise my grade so I can join the class in time for junior year.” 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The older man gave her a once over before shaking her hand, “I see. I’m just surprised that anyone would ask my son to help them with _anything _.”__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She narrowed her eyes, keeping a sweet smile plastered on her face despite the anger that threatened to spill from her throat at the man’s insult to his son, “I heard from a friend how good his grades are in that class and since he’s in my homeroom, I thought why not ask him?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He cocked his head slightly as he adjusted the glasses that sat on his nose, “You realize there is a town-wide curfew tonight?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The short girl nodded, “Which is why I will be dropping him back here no later than seven.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man shrugged, waving them off in dismissal. Isaac seemed to take it as he turned away from the room and told her he would just need a minute to get his books. She smiled at him and told him it was fine and that she would wait in the car. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He came out about five minutes later with his bag, climbing in and apologizing for taking so long. She assumed that by the clench of his jaw and the away his father slurred his intelligence earlier that he had probably been stopped on the way out by the old man. She silently reminded herself to check in on the boy every once and a while – not just to check him out – to see if there was anything going on at home that she should know about. Sure, a lot of people could claim that it wasn’t her business, but she wanted him to be. And a lot of people were fucking cowards when shit was happening in people’s homes that shouldn’t be happening. They sat in silence on the drive to hers, even all the way up to her front door where she scrambled in her bag to find the keys. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Shit,” she hissed, throwing her hands up suddenly and causing the boy next to her to flinch back suspiciously, “I’m sorry, I forgot my keys. It looks like we’ll have to do this the hard way.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The hard way?” Isaac questioned, raising his brow. Vanessa grinned sheepishly before gesturing for him to follow her as she made her way to the right side of her house, pushing open the side fence and waiting for him to join her before closing it back up. She positioned a ladder that was nearby to lean against the slope of her roof before climbing up, slowly making her way to stand at her bedroom window and push it open. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She looked down at Isaac who was gaping up at her and went back down on her knees, holding out her hand, “Here, I’ll hold your bag while you make your way up.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He shook his head up at her in amazement, holding his bag above his head for her, “You’re crazy, you know that right?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You have no idea,” she scoffed, dropping it onto her window seat and sitting on the sill as she watched him climb up and wobble on the roof, “Don’t worry, it’s really sturdy paneling. It won’t go out from under you.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She grabbed ahold of his arm to reassure him, pulling him to her window and making sure she was there in case he slipped as he fell through. They stared at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing, grabbing their stomachs at the absurdity of the situation. Vanessa hung off the window seat, giggling as she looked down at him. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you okay?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” he smiled up at her, hoisting himself up, “Do you do that often?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What? Use the window or fall on my ass getting through?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded at her to say he meant both, to which she just whispered, “Too many times.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She brushed herself off and got to her feet, “I’m going to get our food from the car, you can set up shop and prepare for the most grueling time of your life.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sure you’re not that bad,” he reassured her as he dug through his bag. She shook her head, smiling at him like he was sweet but clearly didn’t know what he was dealing with as she walked out and down the stairs. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac Lahey was in her _fucking bedroom _and she didn’t know how she was going to make her brain work in a house alone with him. She might have to make him wear a paper bag over his head so she would be able to concentrate because she almost dropped him out her window from being in such close proximity to him. She took the food and drinks inside, calling out to him to ask if he wanted anything to drink since the cola was all gone. She heard him reply that water was fine and filled up two glasses before taking it all up to him.__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She found that he had set himself up on the ground and sat down beside him with her laptop and food. Passing him his water with a smile, she ignored the way her hands shook when they pulled back or how she almost dropped the glass when their fingers brushed together. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, the unit is _Sociocultural Context _, right?” he cleared his throat, thrumming through his old notes from when the AP Psychology class covered that last semester. Vanessa’s class, which was just Psychology, was a unit behind them and she was really struggling to keep up with everybody.__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Not because she didn’t understand what they were talking about as she pretty much had environmental and social influences on human behavior down pat. It was just time management and structuring her essays in a way that would communicate what she was trying to argue. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” she agreed, choosing not to tell him all that and instead showing him her laptop that had the recent notes she had taken in the class, “We’re focusing on social relations and the different type of relationships found in communities. Basically, how they are formed, influenced and changed.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did the teacher give you a unit overview?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She pulled it out and shuffled closer as he began highlighting the main objectives and topics. She got lost in his voice as he pointed out the different social interaction that they were going over that term, discrimination, conflict and attraction. If she didn’t think he would look at her like an Eichen house escapee, she’d slap herself to focus instead of focusing on the way his lips moved or the way his eyes darted to her to make sure she was paying attention. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They had finished their food after they made their way through discrimination and were now moving on to discuss the difference between conflict and aggression. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Conflict is an event in which an individual or group’s goals go against the desires of an opposing group or individual,” Isaac explained slowly so that she could jot down the definitions in her book, “Aggression is the anger and the violence that follows from the conflict.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, aggression is born from conflict?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded, smiling faintly in agreement. He was about to continue when the front door opened from downstairs. Vanessa heard Lisa and Sarah call out to her from downstairs. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll be down in a minute,” she yelled back before turning to Isaac, “Did you want to come down and say hi?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He shrugged, following her as she got to her feet and walked out. It was then she remembered that her parents knew she liked this boy and almost turned to run back into the room and lock the door behind her. She loved her mothers’, but they couldn’t keep a secret for the life of them. She only told them because she knew that they wouldn’t have anyone but adults to share it with and the only adults that would concern her would be her godparents although she knew that Melissa McCall and Noah Stilinski had more pressing concerns than the love life of a teenage girl. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She led Isaac down the stairs and around the corner to the lounge room where the two women were collapsed on the couch dramatically. She cleared her throat to get their attention and swallowed back laughter as Lisa peeked over the couch with wide eyes while Sarah’s jaw dropped to the floor. Not because of his good looks, but because there was a boy that wasn’t Scott or Stiles standing next to their daughter for the first time in forever. Vanessa rarely brought new friends home, and never a boy. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hi there,” Lisa waved her hands, leaning over the couch like a kid and holding out her hand, “I’m Lisa. Who might you be?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m Isaac, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he smiled shyly, taking the older woman’s hand to shake. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lisa whispered to the brown-haired woman beside her, not taking her eyes off the boy, “His name is _Isaac _.”__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ahhhhhh _Isaac _,” Sarah hummed, nodding knowingly as her eyes flicked to their daughter who was currently shooting them looks that told them not to ruin this for her, “He’s got nice manners, that one does. I’m Sarah.”__

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She gave him her own hand to shake, smiling cheekily up at him as he blushed from her compliment. Vanessa rolled her eyes at them before leaning against the wall, “How was work?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Fucked,” the two ladies muttered before straightening up, eyes shooting to the boy who was not accustomed to their foul mouth family, “Shit, sorry.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Their daughter sighed, nudging Isaac gently, “I’m sorry for these dorks. I sometimes wonder if I’m the parent in this household.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Rude!” the couple frowned at her, sending Isaac chuckling in amusement at their interesting family dynamic. Sarah grinned at him, leaning in to whisper to her wife, “He’s got a nice laugh too.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, thanks for embarrassing the hell out of him. We’ll be upstairs if you need us,” Vanessa exclaimed, grabbing Isaac’s hand and pulling him up the stairs. She turned to the blushing boy and sighed. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I am sorry again,” she repeated, giving him an awkward smile, “Haven’t quite figured out how to turn them off yet.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac shook his head, beaming down at her with soft eyes, “They seem like really lovely people. And really good parents.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“THANK YOU!” twin cries rang out from downstairs causing the boy to turn red. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa giggled at how adorable he was before dragging him to her room, forgetting that she had been basically holding onto his hand the whole time which wasn’t something normal people usually did with their tutor. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright,” she flopped down on her bed and picked up her laptop, “Where were we?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They continued on aggression and conflict, covering primal aggression and how it evolved to aggression borne of conflict in present day mankind until her alarm rang out that it was six. She sighed in disappointment, which Isaac must have assumed was because she thought that she was still stuck. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey,” he placed a gentle hand on her arm, giving her a reassuring smile, “You made progress today, you know?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded at him like a dumbass, the warmth of his hand spreading up her arm. Too soon, he pulled his hand away to start putting his stuff back his bag. She leapt off the bed and searched for where she put her car keys, snatching them from her ceramic plate beside her bed before following Isaac out of her room. They found her parents in the kitchen once they made it down their stairs and the two woman turned around, Lisa leaning against the counter on the phone while Sarah was sitting on a bar stool nursing a coffee as she studied the manila folder in front of her. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you going already?” Lisa asked, her hand over the phone as she leaned forward. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I told Isaac’s dad he would be back before the curfew,” the girl shrugged before frowning at her mother, “Who are you on the phone to?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Pizza,” the blonde woman replied, pouting at them, “I thought you kids might want pizza.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I wish I could stay,” Isaac sent her a small smile, a bit tight around the mouth as he added, “But my dad wouldn’t like me staying out too late.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We understand,” Sarah chimed in, nodding at him in understanding as she sipped her coffee, “Just know that if you ever wanted to come around again, you’re welcome anytime.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thank you,” he nodded before bidding them goodbye. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two kids walked down the driveway, hopping into the car. Vanessa turned the radio on before pulling out and down the streets, sending the boy next to her an easy smile, “They like you, you know.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, they’ll probably order pizza every time you’re around. Maybe you should move in, pizza every night sounds great,” she joked, feeling her heart warm when he laughed at it. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They listened to the radio for the rest of the way, Vanessa subconsciously mouthing the words and dancing in her seat a little unaware that Isaac was watching her the entire the time with a smile and soft eyes that hardened when they pulled up in his driveway. The girl turned to him, grabbing his arm before he could get out of the car. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just wanted to say, thank you for helping me out. I know that I’m cutting into your own time and that your dad wasn’t too thrilled with you going out to mine, but it means a lot,” she told him earnestly, giving him a grateful smile. Isaac nodded, returning her smile with one of his own. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s okay, really. Let me know when you want to do it again,” he responded before he got out of the car, leaning down as he whispered to her at her window, “Have a good night and drive home safely.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I will,” she waved, a sly smile on her face as she watched him head inside before pulling out. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Says the girl who hit someone with her car one month into her license._

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When she walked through the door, she was ambushed immediately by the smell of meatlovers pizza and the sound of questions coming from both sides. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _That _,” Lisa began, talking with her mouth full, “was Isaac?”__

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The one you risked a mark on your permanent record for?” Sarah finished, waiting until her daughter nodded before cracking a smile, “I approve.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Approve of what?” Vanessa scrunched up her nose in confusion before grabbing a slice, “There’s nothing to approve of. He’s my tutor.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Your disappointment says otherwise,” the blonde nurse pointed out, bringing her daughter into her side as she cuddled her close, “And by the way he was looking at you, I’d say the feeling was mutual.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why does everyone keep saying he’s looking at me?” she shrieked, throwing her hands up. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If it’s more than one person saying it, it’s probably true!” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s what they say to defend rumors,” Vanessa sighed before getting off the couch, “I’m crashing for the night. Love you.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Love you too,” they called back as she started up the stairs and headed to the bathroom to shower. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As the hot water ran down her body, her mind flashed back to that afternoon. To his eyes tracing her features making sure she got something before moving on, his face as his brows furrowed in concentration, the feel of his hand on her arm, the warmth of his shoulder from where he sat beside her. She pressed her head to the fogged-up glass and knew she was so screwed if it took spending an afternoon with him to make her feel like this. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She changed into her pajamas and closed her curtains before slipping between her sheets and closing her eyes. As she closed her eyes, she dreamt of many more afternoons with him _tutoring _her in things other psychology.__

____

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____


	12. Flesh, Bone and Blood (A Tale Told Best Told By Your Walking Adderall Campaign And Sullen-Assed Hale Wolf)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You think the biggest problem in high school is trying to paint your crush without having heart palpitations but you would be fucking wrong.  
> For Vanessa O'Connor, it would be saving Derek Hale from a wolfsbane bullet.  
> Just your average Friday in Beacon Hills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how Vanessa freaks out more by being in one class with Isaac Lahey than when she thought that Derek was dying on the floor of the animal clinic. Priorities, ya'll.

She couldn’t do this. It just wasn’t happening. If she looked up, she lost it. If she looked at her work, she lost it. The only option was to keep her head down and never look up again. Vanessa had spent the majority of Art that Friday during fifth period with her head down on the desk, refusing to look up even when the teacher questioned if she was alright. 

“I think you’re being _slightly _dramatic about this,” Erica leaned over to whisper to her, her brush never leaving the canvas as she did so.__

____

Vanessa turned her head slightly so that she was peeking out through her brown curls as she hissed back at her friend, “Look across from where I’m sitting and then tell me that again.” 

____

“I did, and I’m going to repeat it with the addition that the reason your acting like this is giving you major looks of concern right now.” 

____

Her eyes darted to where she had been avoiding looking at all morning. Isaac Lahey was looking right back at her and upon noticing that he had her attention, sent her a small concerned smile as if to ask if she was alright. She gave him one back before hiding behind the canvas. Except, he was smiling on that too. Vanessa breathed out aghast and Allison had enough of it, changing the subject. 

____

“So, Scott’s coming over to my house this afternoon to study,” the dark-haired girl began with a sly smile. Vanessa whipped her head towards her and straightened up in interest, leaning on the back of her chair. 

____

“Really now?” she drawled, sending a sly look at the girl, her previous problems disappearing now that she had something else to focus on other than her own love life – or lack of, “Have fun. Be safe. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” 

____

“We’re just _studying _,” Allison emphasized, although by the longing in her eyes it was clear that she had hoped to engage in other activities as well.__

______ _ _

Vanessa sent a funny look over her shoulder at Erica as if to say that she wasn’t buying any bullshit of the kind today. Erica muffled a laugh behind her hand before she turned back to her canvas. The brunette spun in her chair. 

______ _ _

“We both know you’re not going to "study", okay,” she put her hand out in front of her as if to say cut the shit, “Nobody invites someone over to "study" at someone’s house. Especially if the two in question are going out and exhibit sexual tension every time they do so.” 

______ _ _

“We do not! And even if we did, you invited – “ 

______ _ _

She rushed to hush the girl from finishing the sentence before leaning in the whisper, “That was _**different __** _, and you know it!”__

________ _ _ _ _

“ _How _?”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, put it this way,” Vanessa sat forward, picking up her pencil for the first time that lesson and beginning to create Isaac’s dark curls, “We’re both sexually frustrated but only one of us has an outlet.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison gave her a weird look as if to communicate that it didn’t make any sense. Vanessa sighed. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You better not just sit there studying this afternoon. If you don’t report to me with at least _one _risqué detail, I’m disowning you.”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The dark-haired girl threw her head back laughing at that. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang that class was over, sending the students packing and moving to get along. Vanessa sent a shy smile to Isaac as he waved at her on his way out and flipped the bird at the two girls giggling from where they were standing behind him. She waited until the class emptied out before cleaning up her desk and putting away her work. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She had somehow found it in herself to complete his face, her perfectionist side compelling her to capture the angles and sharp lines of her muse’s face before moving onto more extravagant details like his hair or eyes. She didn’t know quiet just yet where she was going with it but with the way she felt about the subject of her piece, she was confident that the portrait would show her perspective of him quiet clearly. And that was what she was afraid of. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stepping out into the hallways, she began to walk towards the direction of her locker when she found herself squinting at someone with a familiar leather jacket limping towards her from across the hall. If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, Derek Hale was for some reason at her high school. And if he was here, that meant something important was going down. Something that had to do with Scott. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the _hell _are you doing here?” she asked as she walked over to him, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and the sickly pallor of his skin, “And what’s wrong with you? Why do you look like you’re about to keel over and die?”__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I am,” he grunted, blinking feverishly at her before asking, “Where’s Scott?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Heading over to Allison’s, why?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She noticed how he was holding his arm and when she looked further down, she jumped back at the sight of rivers of blood droplets rushing down to his hands. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Jesus Christ _,” she hissed, shielding his injured arm from the sight of others before leading him towards the front entrance, “You need to see a doctor –“__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, I need to see Scott,” Derek insisted, gritting his teeth in pain. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll text Scott and tell him to come to us but right now, your arm needs medical attention.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You can’t take me to the hospital –“ 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who said anything about a hospital?” she gave him a quizzical look as she held the front door open for him. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But you just said –“ 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I meant someone with a Phd, boofhead,” Vanessa chuffed, holding onto him by his side, careful not to move against his arm. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She saw Stiles get in his jeep and hurried the injured werewolf across to the carpark, running in front of the car before Stiles could pull out of the school. The boy screeched to the stop, his loud exclamation of shock ringing out. She held onto Derek, frowning as the man’s weight grew more heavy until he collapsed into her arms, dragging her down onto the ground. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles got out of his jeep and Scott came running out of nowhere, both stumbling to the ground beside the two. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What are you doing here?” her best friend asked Derek, kneeling down on the ground. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No time for that. Help him into the jeep,” Vanessa directed, trying to pull the man off the ground. Scott moved her out of the way and heaved him up with ease before leading him to the passenger’s side door. They all tumbled into the jeep and taking off so that the rest of the students could drive out of the carpark. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Can someone explain to me what the heck is happening right now?” Stiles cried as they hit the main road. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I was shot,” Derek explained, panting in pain. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why aren’t you healing?” Scott frowned, pulling the jacket to see the wound. Vanessa helped him get the clothing off so that they could see what they were dealing with and almost gagged at the smell of burning flesh that came from the bullet hole in Derek’s arm, “Why does it smell like that?” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They used a different kind of bullet.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“A silver bullet?” the boy driving shouted, causing Derek to shoot him an annoyed glare. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _No _, you idiot.”__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wait, that’s what she meant when she said you had forty-eight hours!” Scott exclaimed, looking at the man in panic. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What? Who said forty-eight hours?” Derek muttered, a dazed look in his eyes. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The one who shot you.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wait, hold the fuck up,” Vanessa frowned, turning to Scott with a quirked eyebrow, “You were _there _when this happened?”__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott was about to respond when Derek yelled out, face contorting as he gripped his arm. His eyes started flickering to the eyes of his wolf, bright blue to brown and back to blue. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Shit, he’s losing control,” Vanessa realized before leaning over to yell at Stiles, “Step on it!” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek grabbed Scott by the shirt, pulling him close, “I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used.” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?” Scott exclaimed desperately. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because she’s an _Argent _, she’s with _them _!”____

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why should I help you?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **THIS IS SO NOT THE TIME** ,” The girl next to them bellowed, telling Stiles to drop Scott off at his house so that he could go straight to Allison’s to find out what they needed to heal Derek. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She collapsed back in the seat, getting some shut eye as she suspected that she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight with they way they continued to throw themselves in danger. She ignored the two of them arguing and didn’t move when Stiles stopped the car and threaten to throw Derek out. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Where the hell are we going?” Stiles asked a silent car, Derek’s head drooping like he was going to die right then and there. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We need to find somewhere discreet with tools that we can use to at least try and get the bullet out,” Vanessa muttered from beside him, leaning her own head against the window when a thought came to her, “The animal clinic where Scott works should be closed by now. I’ll text Scott and ask him if there’s a way to get in without breaking a window or something.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She quickly typed out the text in her phone meanwhile Stiles changing directions from the circles he had been making for the last hour or so. Scott replied back around the corner from the clinic that there was a spare key in a box near the dumpster out back, so she told Stiles not to park at the front. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa scrambled out of the car and over to the box her friend described, using the flashlight on her phone to find the key before moving to unlock the doors while Stiles helped Derek out of the car and over to where she was waiting. She went in first, checking to see if the doctor was in or if he left already and found all the lights off. With that confirmation, she signaled to the two that the coast was clear before helping Stiles lean Derek up against the table in the middle of the room. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her phone beeped as a text from Scott came in, turning to read it out loud, “Scott found the bullet. Is Nordic blue monkshood mean anything to you?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek looked at her sighing in dread, “It’s a rare form of wolfsbane. He has to bring me the bullet.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why?” Stiles frowned. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I’m going to die without it.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re going to die from it, now you’re going to die without it?” the boy rambled, annoyed with the whole situation. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If Scott get’s caught stealing that from the hunters, he’s dead,” Vanessa muttered to herself, worrying her bottom lip until it bled from anxiousness. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Let’s not think of that right now, okay?” Stiles scrunched up his face, telling her it was the only thing he was thinking about now before moving her over to Derek, “Help him get his shirt off so it doesn’t get in the way.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She nodded, glad to have something to do – a task that would keep her mind of Scott and the den of hunters they sent him in. She busied herself with worrying about not causing Derek anymore pain, using scissors to slice up the t-shirt he was wearing with a silent promise of getting him a new one if he survived this. She reared back to see how he was going and almost dropped the scissors on him when she got a glorious view of his fit torso, the same one she described as being ‘chiseled by Hephaestus himself’ the first time she got a peek of it the night they met. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek leaned against the metal table with his arm out into the light, the blood bubbling from the wound and rushing in red lanes down his forearm. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know, that really doesn’t look like anything some echinacea and a good night’s sleep couldn’t take care of,” Stiles joked, gesturing to the arm that looked five seconds from falling off. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“When the infection reaches my heart, it will kill me,” Derek breathed heavily, effectively diminishing any of Stiles’ attempts at easing the tension in the room. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Positivity isn’t just in your vocabulary, is it?” the boy bit out with two hands on the table as they watched Derek open up different cupboards looking for something. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If he doesn’t get here with the bullet, we have to use the last resort,” Derek explained as he leaned down to reach into a drawer for something she couldn’t see. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Which is?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man turned around holding up a saw, “You’re going to cut of my arm.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **WHAT** _?!” the two teenagers exclaimed, with Stiles adding, “Why can’t Vanessa cut off your arm?”__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She cuffed him in the back of the head for that, “Dickhead! Don’t ask me to do it! I don’t know how to use a fucking saw!” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

While the two argued, the werewolf used the strips shirt she had cut up to tie around his forearm, mere inches from where black tendrils climbed up his skin like vines. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, I don’t know if I can do this,” Stiles said with glassy eyes, mouth opening and closing as he breathed through his nose. It was than that Vanessa remembered that Stiles was squeamish and was even known to faint at the sight of a blood. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why not?” Derek grunted, using his teeth to tighten the cloth wrapped around his arm. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing of the bone and especially the _**blood** _!”__

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You faint at the sight of blood!?” 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No,” the boy lied, before adding quickly, “But I might at the sight of a _chopped off arm _!”__

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek shook his head, sweating profusely as he willed himself to keep standing, “All right, fine. How about this? Either you cut off my arm, or I’m gonna cut off your head.” 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed, turning away from the two as Stiles’ immediate reaction was to call Derek out on his bluff and list all the reasons why his threats were impossible to dish out. Suddenly, she heard the table begin rattling and turned just in time to see the werewolf vomit up a thick, black substance onto the floor. 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m waiting outside,” she burst out, fighting not to bring up her lunch, “I can’t do vomit so I’m leaving.” 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She ran out to the back, bending at the waist to breathe in as much fresh air as she could. She heard the sound of wheels squeaking coming towards her and looked up as Scott pulled up on his bike. 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, _thank fucking god _,” she breathed out, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him inside, “Get in there already!”__

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Stiles?!” the boy called out, walking ahead and into the room to find their friend with a saw to Derek’s arm. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the hell are you doing?!” Scott exclaimed, rushing over as Stiles sighed in relief, a nervous chuckle breaking out as he dropped the saw onto the metal table. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares!” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did you get it?” Derek asked hastily, watching as Scott fumbled to take out the bullet in his pocket. The boy passed it to him and they watched as Derek straightened up, bullet in hand. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What are you gonna do with it?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m going to –“ the werewolf began before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and the bullet dropped from his fingers, rolling into the drain. Stiles and Vanessa immediately went to the unconscious man, the boy slapping him awake as the girl grasped his wrist to feel his pulse. Their friend was on his stomach, fingers reaching for the bullet between the holes of the drain. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, what the hell are we going to do?!” Stiles cried, slapping Derek’s face as she felt his pulse begin to slow down. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t know! I can’t reach the bullet!” the other boy grunted. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Guys, he’s slipping!” Vanessa shouted, moving to hear his chest, “I think he’s dying! I think he’s dead!” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Just hold on!” Scott yelled back, breathing heavily. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A minute passed and she felt like her heart was about to stop like Derek’s when she heard Scott gasp in relief, “I got it! I got it!” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He scrambled up and over to them as Stiles gritted his teeth in deep reluctance for what he was going to do, “Please don’t kill me for this.” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched with wide eyes as her friend pull back his fist before sending it into Derek’s unconscious face, immediately waking the wolf up and sending himself rolling over in pain. Derek ignored the other two, hooded eyes going to the bullet in Scott’s hand. The three of them helped him of the ground as he took the bullet, leaning heavily over the metal table. They watched as he closed his mouth over it, biting down hard and twisting the top half with his teeth before pouring a powdery herb onto the table. Derek took out a black lighter from his pocket, setting the herbs on fire and scooping them up to put on his wound. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He let out scream of pain, stumbling back into the cabinets behind him and falling onto the floor. The lower half of his body jerked up, pushing himself around the floor as the three teens watched helplessly. The way Derek screamed went beyond that of the sounds humans were capable of, morphing into the roar of an animal that made her blood run cold and the hairs on her neck stand to attention. She watched as the black tendrils on his arms drew back and the bullet hole knit itself close, sighing as the wound all but disappeared. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That was **awesome**!” Stiles exclaimed, throwing his fist down. Scott and Vanessa gave him a look that said what happened was anything but awesome and would haunt them for the rest of their fucking lives. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek panted, hoisting himself up. Scott leaned down slightly in concern. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you okay?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Except for the agonizing pain?” Derek snarked before getting to his feet. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign though,” Stiles joked, leaning against the table. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The newly healed werewolf sent him a glare that caused the two boys to step back slightly. Vanessa merely rolled her eyes at his attempts to intimidation, shaking a finger at him. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Now, now, none of that,” she chastised, approaching him, “We all just saved your life, that means you owe us. So, no more Mr. Meanie, no more vague answers and mysterious disappearances before we can get straight answers out of you. You got that?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek looked down at her, sighing heavily in a way that most people did whenever they found themselves in Vanessa’s company for too long, “Any other requests?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing him with a serious look, “Buy your house back from the county, get it’s rebuilt and hire a decorator. Seriously man! You’re trying to hide from hunters and yet bunking down in an abandoned building is basically a big fucking stamp on your head saying, ‘ _I’m suspicious, if anyone is definently a werewolf it’s me! _’”__

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you keep harassing me without teaching me anything, I’m gonna go back to Allison’s dad and tell him everything about you,” Scott interrupted with a scowl, his soft brown eyes ruining the intimidation he was attempting. Vanessa sighed to herself, _you really should just let the big kids do all the talking, honey _.__

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You trust _them _?” Derek bit out venomously.__

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They’re a lot freakin’ nicer than you are!” Scott cried, throwing his hands up. Vanessa tilted her head before shrugging in agreement. There was really nothing she could say to disparage that because the Argents were really charming towards her when she went over to their house one afternoon to get a ride to the lacrosse game. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek scoffed at them, “Yeah, I can show you exactly how _nice _they are.”__

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With that, he pulled Scott out the door and walked off into the direction of Derek’s house, leaving Stiles and Vanessa to clean and close up the clinic alone. Stiles mumbled something that sounded a lot like ‘ _thanks for the invite _’ and ‘ _it must be wolves night only _’, which she found herself nodding along to as they made their way to the jeep.____

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He didn’t even say thank you,” Vanessa chimed in, putting her seatbelt on as she waited for Stiles to start the car. 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know right,” he nodded in agreement, turning on the car and pulling out onto the road, “What an asshole.”

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	13. Your Breath and Your Heartbeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are two things in life that remain almost constant but never in death?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Warning: Implied/ Referenced Child Abuse is in this chapter so if anyone is uncomfortable with the discussion of such topics, just be aware that it will be featured in this chapter.  
> \- There will also be references to mental illness, underage drug usage, anxiety and depression. Some people might try to point out that kids don't experience this as common as social media portrays but I'm going to stop you right there and say that it happens way too often. The fact that Teen Wolf barely touched on the discussion in order to focus on the over-sexualizing teenagers is a testament to that. Both Vanessa and Isaac have severe anxiety for very different reasons that will be featured throughout the story alongside other characters - most notably Stiles Stilinski and Erica Reyes.  
> \- If it seems like I'm romanticizing mental illnesses and panic attacks, I'm not. The techniques used in this chapter to calm down on of the characters is something my friends do for me all the time. I find that it's very calming to focus on one thing that remains steady such as someone's breathing or heart beat and I find that it is the quickest way to come down from a panic attack, personally.  
> \- "Scene Three: Stomach Tied In Knots" by Sleeping With Sirens was the song that influenced most of this chapter. I know the song doesn't actually represent their relationship, because I'm pretty sure the song is about being in a toxic relationship and finding yourself falling back into unhealthy patterns where you stay with someone because you feel like you can't survive being alone or something. That's not them at all but that's similar. You'll see but I just want to make it clear that i'm not trying to write an unhealthy relationship between the two but if that is how it comes across to you guys, please let me know.

Vanessa knew that after spending Friday evening trying to save Derek, she wouldn’t be getting a lot of shut eye for the foreseeable future. Especially with the new addition of a werewolf best friend and ally, a potential hunter friend and a murderous alpha surrounding her, creating problems and messes that she couldn’t help but drag herself into. Not even twenty-four hours after Stiles dropped her home from the animal clinic, she got a phone call that ruined weekend trips to the video store for her for good. 

“What?” she answered drowsily, rolled over to check the time. It was quarter past nine and she had just got into bed when Stiles rang, “What happened?” 

“The Alpha killed another person,” Stiles’ voice cracked over the phone, the sound of sirens coming through on the other end, “The clerk at the video store had his throat ripped out. Guess who just so happened to be looking for a movie?” 

“Who?” 

“Jackson and Lydia.” 

“Are they okay?” she frowned. Just because the two popular teenagers got on her nerves a lot didn’t mean she wanted to see them hurt. Being a dickhead shouldn’t mean a death sentence. 

“Yeah, just a bit shaken up,” he replied before a loud voice yelled at him to get his hands away from the body, “I got to go but I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” 

The line beeped to signal that he hung up. The girl threw her phone aside and put on her radio, turning it down so that it would softly play songs instead of the deadly silence that had been haunting her for many nights now. 

\- 

The next morning, she had walked into the library for study hall with Erica when she caught sight of a boy sitting against one of the many bookcases that lined the walls in rows. She excused herself, saying she would be right back and ignored the knowing look on her friend’s face as she headed over to him. 

“Hey,” she greeted gently to Isaac, who lifted his head up at the sound of her voice, “I thought you would be at Lacrosse practice. What are you up to?” 

He shook his head at the pile of books next to him and the exercise book in his lap, “Trying to find a way to raise my Chemistry grade. Harris told the class this morning that those with a less than C average would have their parents brought in tonight for the conferences. Guess who’s on that list?” 

“Shit,” she muttered, sitting down carefully across from him, “What are you going to do?” 

“I barely have time to study with helping my dad work and lacrosse, let alone all the other classes I’m taking,” he murmured with a stricken look on his face, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” 

Vanessa felt her chest burn with guilt as he also agreed to tutor her along with everything else. She leaned forward, placing a hand on his wrist, “Alright, we can figure this out. Will your dad be angry if you fail this class?” 

“That’s an understatement,” she thought he heard him mutter, and as he brought up his hand to run his fingers through his hair, she noticed something that made her heart tighten and breathe shudder. Isaac’s nails were severely damaged, to the point that she could see where dried blood crusted under his fingernails to where new blood shone through the cracks. They looked as if he had been scratching a chalkboard all night, the pads of his fingers red raw and probably causing him terrible pain. 

“What happened to your fingers?” Vanessa asked softly, taking one of his hands gently into her own. 

Isaac’s eyes widened, quickly jerking it back as he replied quickly, “Lacrosse.” 

She sighed, sadness tinging her voice as she said, “Scott has been training throughout the break really hard to get to the point he is now, you know that. He would spend about eight hours a day doing different exercises, pitching a ball back and forth, manoeuvring his stick, practicing blocking and dodging with the ball in his net. The thing is, I’ve never seen his fingers look like that.” 

The boy was silent, his eyes fixed on the book in front of him, but she could tell by the way he breathed harder and the way his lashes flicked back the tears building up that she had caught him in a lie. A lie that would work with almost anyone who didn’t teach themselves all about their friend’s favourite sport just to understand it better. She remembered when she went over to his house and he didn’t want her to come in, the way his father treated him and put him down, the tension in his shoulders when Isaac hopped in the car and the way he flinched when she made subtle gestures or moved to fast. The state of his fingers that not even a hundred games of lacrosse could do to someone. 

Vanessa took a long, deep breathe in and swallowed her own tears of anger, grabbing his hand again and looked him in the eyes, “This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to my house right now. I’m going to call Sarah and she will claim that we have community service or something like that and pick us up. You’re going to study Chemistry in a quiet, safe place and not worry about anything else while I figure out how to keep your dad from going to the conference tonight. Knowing Harris, he will just call to rearrange another meeting but if you can get your grade to at least a C, then he won’t have much to say.” 

“What?” Isaac breathed out, eyes wide and darting between hers frantically, “Why would you do this for me?” 

Vanessa shook her head at him, and at the entire human race for making the act of helping someone out so they don’t get abused look like it would cost an arm and a leg as she said, “Because that’s what friends do. That’s what decent people do.” 

“We’re friends?” he asked timidly, looking up at her with those big blue eyes of his. 

“Of course, we’re friends,” she smiled, helping him up and bending down to gather his books as she attempted to cheer him up, “I thought you were going to ask me if I was a decent person – the answer to which is that it depends on the situation. Normally I can be quiet a bitch.” 

“ _You’re not _,” he interrupted adamantly, a serious look overcoming his eyes as he repeated, “You’re not.”__

____

“So, it seems,” she replied softly, blinking up at him in shock at his firmness in his belief of her before looking away, “I just need to ask my friend to cover for me and then we can go find somewhere I can call my mom.” 

____

Isaac nodded, waiting patiently at the door as she walked over to Erica to tell her that she was heading home early, giving her a warning look when her eyes darted to the boy waiting for her with a brow raised in question. Vanessa waltzed over to him, taking his hand into her own as they quickly made their way out of the library and over to her locker where she grabbed out her phone and called up Sarah. 

____

“Hey, can you do me a favour?” Vanessa asked quickly when her mom answered on the first ring. 

____

“Depends. What’s in it for me?” Sarah joked back. 

____

“I’ll wash the dishes for a month,” she answered quickly, effectively taking the amusement out of her mother’s voice. 

____

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” 

____

“I need you to come and pick me and a friend of mine up from school. I need you to claim that we have community service or something and that there is no reason to call up my friend’s parents and confirm because they are waiting for him down at the station.” 

____

“Alright, but I want an explanation later on because I could lose my badge for this.” 

____

“Thank you. I will, thank you! I love you.” 

____

“Love you too. See you soon. Wait at admin for me,” Sarah directed before hanging up. 

____

Isaac raised an eyebrow, mouth gaping at her when she turned to him with a relieved smile. 

____

“How did you get her to agree?” he asked. 

____

“I told her I would wash the dishes for a month. Not only would that cause Sarah to agree to anything, it also made her aware that this was serious, and it wasn’t just a petty favor.” 

____

“I just can’t believe she would do that – that any parent would.” 

____

“My moms, especially Sarah, grew up with very little trust between them and their parents,” Vanessa explained to him quietly as they made their way to the other side of the school, “Sarah’s parents threw her out of the house when they found out she liked girls. Lisa’s mother didn’t come around, but her father eventually accepted it and even left the place to the two girls when they got engaged. He passed away before they adopted me, and they named me after him. Van.” 

____

She continued explaining, pulling up her bookbag from where it was slipping from her shoulder, “So when they adopted me, they promised themselves they would always trust me and always make sure I trusted them. They never wanted to make me feel like I couldn’t talk to them or ask them for help – because they knew how awful that felt from when they were kids.” 

____

“That makes sense,” Isaac nodded with a longing look on his face, “They never broke that promise it seems.” 

____

Vanessa smiled softly at that, “Yeah, even when I snuck out when I was thirteen or tried weed for the first time, they were pissed but than they sat me down and showed me why what I was doing was unsafe because at the time, nobody told me those things were dangerous. Once I got a proper understanding, I stopped doing it. Instead I talked to them before I went out, gave them a time I would come back and told them if I needed anything to help me feel what I wanted to feel. At the time, I wanted to deal with my anxiety, so someone suggested to me weed. Now, I take medication or do yoga or some shit that won’t lead to addiction.” 

____

“They didn’t punish you?” Isaac’s voice was incredulous as he asked, the admin just around the corner. 

____

She scoffed, nodding her head hard at the memory, “Heck yeah they did! I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere that summer unless it was with one of them, friends had to come to my house and we weren’t allowed the door closed and they woke me up at like 5 in the morning so that I would go running with them or attend a fitness class. But after the summer came to the end, I had a new respect for them because they could have just as easily came up with something that would have sent me off the deep end like forbid me from going anywhere or talking to anyone.” 

____

“You’re lucky to have parents like them,” he murmured quietly as they took a seat, waiting for Sarah to walk through the door. A familiar squad car pulled up, she found herself grinning brightly as the older woman jumped out. 

____

“I am, aren’t I?” 

____

Sarah walked through the door, hands on her hips, “Come on, kids. You were supposed to be at the station half an hour ago.” 

____

The two bounded up before being stopped by the lady at the reception, “Where are you taking them?” 

____

“Oh, right I got to sign something?” Sarah frowned, walking over to the lady, “These two have community service. Their parents are waiting for them at the station. Linden Scott and Vanessa O’Connor.” 

____

The lady fingered through her papers hurriedly before looking up, “I don’t have them listed as leaving home early.” 

____

“Didn’t anyone tell you?” the deputy’s eyes widened before stealing the pen from the desk and jotting down her number, “Get the principal to call me, tell him if he has any problems call Deputy Woods.” 

____

She spun on her heel before the lady could question her more and gestured for the two kids to walk out before her. As they closed the door behind them and hopped in the car, Sarah turned in her seat sending Isaac a smile and holding up her two fingers to Vanessa. 

____

“Two months of washing dishes and you will be getting up at five for the next week to go running with me and Lisa,” she insisted before turning on the car and driving out of the school. 

____

“Thanks, mom,” Vanessa drawled, leaning her head on the metal between them. 

____

“We really appreciate it, Sarah,” Isaac smiled shyly at the woman, who glanced over her shoulder at him to give him a grin. 

____

“You’re too sweet – you know that right?” Sarah chimed before facing forward, leaving the boy a blushing mess. The girl beside him gave him a cheeky grin at his flushed face and dialed Stiles’ number, putting the phone up to her ear. 

____

“Just letting you know I’ve gone home sick this afternoon so if you see my car, I haven’t been kidnapped and not in danger. Don’t call me for anything until parent teacher conferences start.” 

____

She threw her phone back in her bag and turned to see Isaac giving her a questioning look, “What?” 

____

“Is it common for Stiles to think you’ve been kidnapped?” 

____

“No. Yes. Maybe – depends on the day of the week.” 

____

Sarah burst out laughing from the front seat, calling back jokingly, “Doesn’t that kid always think there’s something dangerous happening?” 

____

“Yeah,” Vanessa chuckled, leaning back in her seat, “Except with the recent attack at the video store, he’s kind of right to be concerned.” 

____

“How did you know about that?” 

____

“Two kids from our school were there when it happened. Stiles was also there because he was having dinner with his dad while he was patrolling.” 

____

“Why don’t you ever do that with me!?” 

____

“I was going to, like, last week but then Erica was freaking out about failing English so I thought that you wouldn’t mind me ditching if it meant I was helping out a friend.” 

____

“Which brings us to our last question,” Sarah declared dramatically, “On why was I called to pick the two of you up?” 

____

Isaac stiffened from beside her, something the woman noticed but did not point out straight away, waiting for them to have their say first. Her quick-thinking daughter gave her the cliff notes version. 

____

“Isaac isn’t doing too well in Chemistry and needed a place to study that wasn’t going to stress him out more. I thought he could come over to ours and study in my room while I made him something to eat.” 

____

Sarah caught her eye in the rear-view mirror, mouthing the word ‘later’ to her to show she knew there was more to her story. Vanessa nodded, mouthing back ‘thank you’ before Isaac spoke up from beside her. 

____

“I’m sorry if I’m inconveniencing anyone,” he apologized quietly, hands tightening on his bag. 

____

The older woman gasped, waving her hand frantically, “Oh no, sweetheart! I didn’t mean it like that – I was just wondering because my daughter would never agree to wash the dishes unless it was important – it seems helping you out is very important to her.” 

____

“Mom,” Vanessa stuttered as her cheeks reddened, not believing her mother just threw her under the bus like that. The older woman laughed in return, finding amusement as her daughter spent the ride home avoiding the eyes of the boy next to her. 

____

They pulled up down the street and the two kids hopped out. Vanessa gave Isaac the keys and told him to go on ahead while she talked to Sarah about something. He nodded, giving her mom a smile and a wave before making his way up her driveway while the girl hopped into the front seat. 

____

“Is this the part you tell me that you’re in love and that you want my approval because, kid, if you’re going to promise to wash up the dishes every time you want to hang out with the boy – you have it!” 

____

“I think Isaac’s dad is abusing him.” 

____

Sarah fell silent, all traces of humor gone as she gaped at her daughter. 

____

“What?” the woman stuttered out, truly aghast, “Why would you think that?” 

____

“The signs are there, Mom. Flinching at subtle gestures, wounds to his hands that he lies about, panicking at the mere thought of his father finding out about his grades, the way his father puts him down,” Vanessa listed, turning in her seat, “You taught me to see the signs in kids at my school so you would be able to help them. His dad is hurting him, I know it!” 

____

“Okay,” her mother soothed, reaching out to pull her into a hug “I believe you, kid. I believe you. I’ll see what I can find out. But if he’s failing, isn’t his dad going to find out tonight at the conferences? I know I’m going to see a D on your Math – which don’t think we don’t know about, missy!” 

____

“Yes, but I know that you will sit down and help me get my grade up. Not do whatever the fuck Mr. Lahey is doing to Isaac!” Vanessa retorted, leaning in to tell her mother, “Besides, I have a plan.” 

____

“Alright, let’s here this plan.” 

____

“How soon can Lisa finish work?” 

____

\- 

____

The girl walked into the house and up the stairs to her room after going over the plan with her mother. Yes, it seemed weird how a grown ass woman would go along with anything a teenager came up with but that’s the thing about their family. They weren’t normal and possibly, were the most unusual family in the world. Because both parents trusted their kid unconditionally. And boy, was that not a kick to the balls of families everywhere? 

____

“Isaac?” she called out, making her way to her bedroom and peeking around the corner. 

____

She found the boy on the floor, leaning against her bed with his books surrounding him and highlighters all set up. She took a moment to admire this image of him. Even stressed out and close to tears, he was beautiful with his curly hair all messy and sticking up, blue eyes set in concentration. His dark coat was folded on the floor beside him, leaving him sitting there in a grey t-shirt that showed off his strong arms and worn out jeans that clung to his legs, stretched out in front of him. 

____

Call her crazy, an insensitive bitch who was checking out a boy quiet clearly distressed, but she couldn’t help herself. Ever a beautiful disaster, he was someone worth checking out even in the darkest of times in the most urgent of hours. He lifted his head and looked at her, giving her a grateful smile that sent her stomach tying itself up in knots. 

____

“Everything okay?” he asked softly, worried eyes taking in her look that must have passed itself as anxiousness. 

____

She gave him a small grin, “It will be. Did you want anything to eat? A sandwich?” 

____

“You don’t have to – “ 

____

“Are you hungry?” she questioned with a stern look. 

____

After a moment, Isaac gave her sheepish nod causing Vanessa to break out in a victorious smile. 

____

“I’m going to make sandwiches. If you want one, don’t be afraid to take one.” 

____

He gave a small smile that warmed her chest all the way down the kitchen, making her smile and giggle to herself as she got out various ingredients, having forgotten to ask him what he preferred. She spent fifteen minutes in a Marth Stuart daydream that she thought she would never be caught dead in before she finished making the sandwiches and brought them up to her room. 

____

“Bon appetite,” she declared dramatically in a horrible french accent as she placed the plate on the ground in front of him. He grinned at her use of french before taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a dramatic hand. 

____

“Merci beaucoup,” he replied, taking a bite and nodding appreciatively. Vanessa gaped at him. 

____

“Of course, you know french,” she muttered at his skills, flopping onto her bed. 

____

“What?” he frowned at her, not quiet catching what she said. 

____

“Nothing,” she chimed, shooting him an innocent smile before taking out her own homework and getting started on her psychology. 

____

Three hours later, after polishing off another set of sandwiches she decided to make, they heard the door open downstairs as Sarah yelled out, “Everybody still alive in here?” 

____

Vanessa scrambled off her bed and down the hall to peek over the railings down at the deputy. 

____

“Up here,” she waved, leaning over dangerously, “Did you get in touch with Lisa?” 

____

“Yeah,” the brown-haired woman nodded, “She will be leaving work in a bit so she should make it in time before he leaves to go attend the conference.” 

____

“Before who leaves?” Isaac asked, appearing beside her frowning. 

____

“Your dad,” Vanessa responded, causing the boy to give her a stricken look before she rushed to reassure him, “My mom is just going to go over to the cemetery and pretend to have car trouble. She’ll ask him to help her out. I noticed that he knows how to fix cars when I came over to your house that one time, so I suspect that it would take him at least half-an-hour to figure out he can’t fix the car before calling a tow truck. Of course, Lisa will convince him to wait with her until the tow truck comes which is another thirty to forty-five minutes which will cause him to miss out on the conferences.” 

____

Isaac had already started shaking his head mid-way through her explanation, “No, no, I don’t want to trouble anyone. It’s too much trouble.” 

____

“Sweetheart,” Sarah said, coming up the stairs to join them at the top, “It really isn’t that much trouble. Both me and Lisa would be happy to do anything to help you out. Especially since you agreed to help our daughter get her own grades up. It’s the least we can do.” 

____

He gave them both a watery smile, gratitude radiating from his blue eyes as he wiped at his face discreetly. Sarah smiled sweetly, before clapping her hands. 

____

“Right,” she declared, turning back around to go back downstairs, “I’ll give you a lift to school, kid.” 

____

The tall boy nodded before heading back to the bedroom to get his stuff as Vanessa checked her phone. She found fifteen missed calls from Stiles and as she opened a voicemail, she heard her friend ranting on about he found something out from Lydia, Scott wasn’t answering his calls and that he didn’t know what to do. Vanessa sighed, typing out a text to catch her up on what was so important once she got to school as Isaac came back out with his bag. 

____

The two joined Sarah in her car and spent the car ride quizzing each other on psychology and chemistry respectively to pass the time before the conference as well as trying to decide when they could hold another ‘study session’ next. They both agreed on that Thursday, as they pulled up at the school, Sarah leaning over the car seat to look at them. 

____

“Alright, what are you failing?” the older woman asked, pointing at Isaac. 

____

He stuttered, not expecting her to ask the question, “Uh, just Chemistry? I think.” 

____

“Okay, good – well, not good that you’re failing but that’s only one subject. And it’s a mind-boggling subject at that,” Sarah waved it off before turning to her daughter, “And you’re just failing Math right?” 

____

Vanessa nodded with slouched shoulder, which Sarah smiled gently at. 

____

“That’s okay, kiddo. As long as you try your best. I think I should sit with you at the dinner table a few more times and go over what you’re finding difficult,” she explained, before hopping out of the car. 

____

The two kids followed, Vanessa frowning slightly, “Hey Mom, why did you want to know what Isaac was failing.” 

____

“So, I’m not surprised when the teacher talks to me about it,” the woman replied nonchalantly, walking up to the front doors and holding it open for them to walk through. 

____

“Why would the teacher tell you about Isaac’s grades?” 

____

“Because I’m going to attend his meeting,” Sarah explained, giving Isaac a once-over before asking, “Is that fine with you, kid?” 

____

The tall boy nodded in bewilderment as they followed the deputy into the school where students, parents and teachers were milling about waiting for their turn. 

____

“What time is your meeting, Isaac?” she asked, leaning against the lockers. 

____

“In about ten minutes with Harris in that room over there,” he replied, pointing it out to the woman before going back to fidget nervously with his bag strap. 

____

“And yours is in half an hour?” Sarah double checked with Vanessa, who nodded. 

____

“Alright, me and Isaac will go first and then I will come back to go to yours. No wondering off, I don’t want to have to track you down.” 

____

“Yes ma’am,” the girl saluted, going over to her locker and leaving Isaac with her mom with a reassuring smile. 

____

Vanessa waited patiently as the two went in, pulling out a phone and sending dual messages to Scott and Stiles asking them where they were when she caught sight of a blonde-haired girl walking towards her. Tucking her phone in her back pocket, she hugged Erica and asked how her meeting went. 

____

“It was okay,” she replied, timidly tucking a stray strand behind her ear as she looked back at her parents on their phones a few feet away from them, “I don’t really think they were listening though. Something important is going on at work so they were distracted through the whole thing.” 

____

“I would have thought their daughter’s education was important,” Vanessa grunted, holding onto the blonde protectively as she glared daggers at the two people who would have noticed the death stares they were receiving if they could tear their eyes away from their gadgets for five minutes. 

____

“It’s okay,” Erica waved it off, repeating what she said earlier as she gave a weak smile, “At least they’re not yelling at me for my grades like most are.” 

____

“Speaking of most, have you seen Scott and Stiles anywhere?” 

____

“Scott hasn’t been here all day, but Stiles just arrived,” Erica replied, gesturing to the front doors behind her where the boy had just walked through, looking around frantically. 

____

Vanessa sighed, turning back to Erica, “If you would excuse me, I have to go talk to him about making fifteen calls to me after I specifically told him not to.” 

____

“Talk to you later!” 

____

The brunette marched over to the boy, grabbing him by the arm and tugging him to a corner where they wouldn’t be overheard, “Alright, what was so important that you had to crash my phone for?” 

____

“Listen, I went over to Lydia’s house to check on her and there was text sent to her phone of a video. A video taken last night at the video store.” 

____

“What was it of?” 

____

“The Alpha, it was the alpha.” 

____

“Why would someone send _Lydia _that?” she questioned, frowning at him slightly before addressing the other question on her mind, “Also, where’s Scott? No one has seen him all day!”__

______ _ _

Stiles scoffed, pulling his phone out of his pocket, “He and Allison ditched because it was her birthday or something –“ 

______ _ _

“Wait, what? And she didn’t tell me?” 

______ _ _

“And he turned off his phone so no one can get in contact with him,” Stiles ignored her interruption, dialling Scott’s number just as Sarah called out her name. 

______ _ _

Vanessa turned to find her mom with Isaac whose shoulders had finally relaxed when his father didn’t show up for the meeting. The girl turned to her friend and told him to keep trying Scott’s phone before making her way over to the two, giving the tall boy a small smile. 

______ _ _

“How did it go?” she asked. 

______ _ _

Sarah patted the boy on the arm reassuringly, “Nothing a bit of studying and less stress won’t cure. You should come over to our house often, I heard the two of you quizzing each other in the car and it sounded like you’re well on the way to getting those grades up.” 

______ _ _

Isaac blushed at her praise and ducked his head, “Thanks Sarah.” 

______ _ _

“No problem, kiddo,” the older woman grinned before turning to her daughter, “You ready?” 

______ _ _

At the girl’s nod, the deputy turned to the boy, “Wait for us to finish and we’ll drop you off back home, alright Isaac?” 

______ _ _

He nodded before making his way to a spare seat to wait out their meeting. 

______ _ _

The two females made their way into the classroom, taking a seat in front of Vanessa’s math teacher who gave them warm smiles as she began talking about what the girl’s strengths were, her participation and humour in the class before going into what Vanessa was finding difficult and suggesting alternative solutions to help improve her grade from a D to at least a C. Overall, it wasn’t bad and was actually helpful advice that the girl reminded herself to apply to her work. 

______ _ _

They left the classroom, thanking the teacher before making their way down the hall, Isaac getting up to follow them as they left the building behind Melissa McCall, who was on her phone sending a voicemail to Scott before sighting Vanessa. 

______ _ _

”Sweetheart,” she called, waving a hand for her to come over, “Do you know where Scott is? He’s not returning my calls and I haven’t seen him this afternoon.” 

______ _ _

“Maybe he had a shift at the clinic he forgot to tell you about?” the girl suggested, trying to cover up the fact that her best friend took her other friend on a birthday field trip through the woods where a known animal attack occurred. 

______ _ _

“You’re Scott’s mother?” a familiar voice asked from behind the group. They turned around to find Allison’s parents coming towards them with frowns on their faces and Vanessa knew instinctively that both of her friends were too dead to even joke about. She leaned over to her mother and Isaac, telling them that they better wait in the car as to avoid being collateral in the fall out that was Scott and Allison’s execution. 

______ _ _

“Yes, and you’re Allison’s parents?” Melissa replied, turning to them keenly, “I hate to say it, but Scott hasn’t been answering his phone.” 

______ _ _

Chris Argent said something in a less than complimentary tone that sent Melissa off, causing an argument to rise on whose child was to blame for them ditching school when Allison’s father abruptly stopped talking as the sound of car doors slamming sounded. Vanessa turned around, sighing in relief as she declared to the parents. 

______ _ _

“Kids are here, everything is fine,” she smiled shakily, before amending it quickly at Argent’s raised eyebrow, “Maybe not fine, but they’re safe and alive and ready to suffer Judgement Day.” 

______ _ _

Vanessa quickly embraced Melissa before making a beeline to her mother’s car, stopping to whisper to the two guilty looking teenagers ‘ _I tried to help but unfortunately you’re both beyond saving at this point _’ before hopping in beside Isaac. But Sarah didn’t start the car.__

________ _ _ _ _

“Mom?” the girl called out, leaning over to look at the woman, “We can go now.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“And miss the show – _I don’t think so _,” Sarah quipped, rolling down the window so they would be able to hear the conversation happening right beside their car when a scream broke out across the parking lot.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa felt her blood run cold as people began running, chaos erupting as cars sped out the parking lot, barely swerving in time to avoid hitting someone. People were shutting and rushing to get away from some unseen danger. Sarah’s hand flew to her gun, turning to the kids and telling them to stay in the car. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl’s face was pressed against her window, eyes darting out and around trying to catch a glimpse of the cause of the hysteria. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac leaned in over her shoulder, his warm breath on her neck, “Do you see anything?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She ignored the gooseflesh erupting along her back as her eyes caught a sudden movement, low to the ground race past the car in front of them causing the teenagers to jump back against the leather seats. They found each other’s eyes, breathing hard as fear and adrenaline flew up their bodies and the close proximation in which they leaned against each other became apparent. The two pulled back, panting as they avoided each other’s gaze and hide reddening cheeks as they returned their focus to what was happening outside. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two watched as Sheriff Stilinski met up with Sarah and began ushering cars to move forward, guns in their hands in an attempt to get a clear shot at the threat without someone’s car – or body – getting in the way. Vanessa shrieked as she noticed a car prepare to back out when the Sheriff ran behind it, knocking the man back and onto the ground. Pressing her face to the glass, she checked to see if he was alright as fear drew harsh breaths from her lungs. She gritted her teeth, scrambling for the car handle and falling out of the car to collapse next to her godfather. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m okay,” he reassured her, waving her – and Isaac, who had followed her out – off of him as he looked around, eyes widening as they found what they were looking for. Vanessa and Isaac followed his gaze, the girl jerking back into the boy as the Sheriff pulled out another gun from where it was hidden at his ankle but before he could pull the trigger, Chris Argent walked up with his own gun trained on the creature. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac’s arms went around to hold her to him as the shot rang out, making people scream in both shock and relief as the animal dropped dead to the ground. Sarah appeared next to them, checking the Sheriff for injuries as he hoisted himself off the ground before moving her focus onto the two shaking teenagers. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are you okay?” she asked, pulling them up and leaning them against the boot of her car, “I thought I told you to stay in the car!?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But Mom, Chief got hit when someone backed their car into him,” Vanessa explained, using her childhood nickname for the Sheriff in her fear and horror of what just occurred, “You can’t expect us to just sit in the car if he had been seriously injured!” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The older woman sighed, running a shaking hand through her hair as she waved the two kids into the car before going off to check what had caused such a fuss. Vanessa’s whole body tremored as the image of the creature getting hit and dropping flew through her mind, of the way it had stared at them as they gathered around the Sheriff. Her breathing grew heavy and the air grew hot as she pressed her forehead against the seat in front of her. Her throat closed up and it became abruptly clear that the space within the car was too small, too hot and she felt as if at any moment it would go as dark as it did for the creature lying dead a few feet from their car. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Something landed on her shoulder, a hand that belonged to Isaac as he turned her around so that she was looking at him. His deep blue eyes pierced her with a look of determination as he moved his hands to cup her face, “Vanessa, _breathe _. Breathe with me.”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He took her hand and placed it on his heaving chest, not taking his eyes off her as he took a deep breath. She felt the fast thrum of his heartbeat begin to slow down and breathed as he did, when he did, blinking back hot tears as his fingers traced her pulse point, murmuring softly to her, “That’s it. Just breathe. We’re safe, we’re safe, we’re alright, we’re alive.” 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He repeated those words like they were a mantra, making sure that she knew she okay, that they knew they were going to be okay. It became clear to her the more she listened to his voice, that he was just as shook up as her, moving on to repeat the phrase, “We can get out of here, we can get out of here, we’re not trapped, we’re not stuck, we’re going to get out of here.” 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She squinted up at him, her hand on his chest as his hand caressed her face and wondered how on earth he brought her down so fast when it struck her like lightning. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened to him. Except instead of calming someone else, he used this to calm himself. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_We can get out of here. We’re not trapped. We’re not stuck. We’re going to get out of here._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her mouth dropped in horror as she realized that whatever his father did to him, it made him think that he was trapped, that there was no way out and as she glanced down to his fingers, still healing she almost vomited. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_They looked as if they spent a whole night scratching a chalkboard……or spent a night trying to get out of a small, confined space._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Did Isaac’s dad lock him up? In some dark, confined space that the boy scratched at to get out? Did he spend nights shivering in fear from being stuck somewhere, waiting for his dad to let him out. Did he scream himself hoarse, begging to be let free. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa let out an ugly cry, collapsing into Isaac’s shoulder as her arms went around him tightly. The boy stilled before burying his head into her hair, whispering to reassure her that she was safe, that he was there and that they were going to be okay. She didn’t pull back, even when her Mom opened the door and start the car, beginning the drive to Isaac’s house. She found sleep pull at her limbs and couldn’t find it in herself to get off of him, despite the fact she knew his limbs would start cramping up soon. The boy didn’t even try to push her off, content with letting the shaken girl seek comfort from him. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She pretended to be asleep when the car stopped, when the sound of the leather creaked as her mother turned around to look at them. Sarah smiled gently at the pair before glancing up at the boy. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks for calming her down, kid. Usually it takes about an hour before she feels safe again, but it seems like you’re magic or somethin’,” the older woman joked to relieve the tension before her smile faded into seriousness, “Look, Nessa told me what she thinks is happening at home. If you don’t want me to, I won’t interfere but if you ever need me to do something, I want you to call Nessa. If you want me to come get you, call Nessa. If you want somewhere to crash for a night or two, or to even stay permanently, I’d rather have you stay with us than be on the streets, okay?” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thank you,” Isaac replied, his voice rumbling from his chest as his arms tightened around her before letting go, gently setting her on the other side of the car before getting out. Vanessa watched from beneath her lashes as he waved to her mother before heading inside. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sarah pulled out of the driveway and down the street before her voice rang out once more, “I know you’re not sleeping back there, kid.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl sent her a weak smile before getting up to sit in her seat normally, “I was about to.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You seemed pretty comfortable back there,” the woman joked weakly, glancing at her from over her shoulder before continuing, “He’s a good kid, that one is. And I can tell he cares about you.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You think so?” Vanessa asked softly, her hands hovering of her cheek where he brushed away tears thinking she was asleep. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know if you had fallen asleep on me like that, I would have pushed you off and I’m your mother so yeah, he cares about you, sweetheart.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa smiled to herself the rest of the way home that night, despite the dark truths realized that swam in the back of her head like sharks waiting to bite.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	14. Werewolf 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Werewolf 101 - where Derek actually explains more about werewolf culture, his personal hatred for anything Argent and his insistence for Scott and his friends to stay away from over friendly neighborhood hunters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit short compared to the others but I hope you enjoy it all the same x

“You know, normal teachers sit their students down and you know, _teach _,” Vanessa retorted, leaning back into the leather seats of Derek’s car as they waited for Scott to enter the car park from the grocery store, “You, my friend, are not fucking normal and should _never _teacher a class in your life.”____

_____ _

The dark-haired werewolf ignored her, his gaze trained on the door as it opened and out walked her best friend with two loads of bags in his hands. Vanessa cringed knowing those were going to get dropped during Derek’s psychotic idea of an exercise. Secretly, she knew it was the best way to teach Scott how to evade threats but on an adolescent psyche - this entire situation would serve trauma on a silver platter. 

_____ _

“Stay in the car,” he muttered before climbing out and shutting the door behind him, not making a sound. 

_____ _

Vanessa watched as Scott looked around, trying to figure out where his car was with his keys but before he could go back to the level above him, the handle on his bag snapped causing a milk bottle to fall out and roll away. She watched curiously as Derek rolled it back to him before growling, sending the frightened boy sprinting away and leaving the groceries abandoned on the ground. Derek chased after him, slow at first but faster. Vanessa gave an impressed nod as her friend jumped on top of a car and ran across the hoods, causing car alarms to go off. She knew that Derek, relying on wolf hearing, would have a difficult time figuring out where Scott went after that. 

_____ _

She watched as her friend ducked behind a car out of her line of vision. Derek was looking around intently until something cause his attention, his ears pricking as he raced off towards where Scott disappeared. It was a moment before she saw him again, this time trailed by an irritated Scott. 

_____ _

She climbed out of the car and leaned against the side as the two males made their way to her, Scott exclaiming angrily, “You scared the crap outta me!” 

_____ _

“Not yet,” Derek smirked back before turning to the waiting girl with a deadpan look, “I thought I told you to stay in the car?” 

_____ _

Vanessa shook off the wave of deju vu that hit from when Sarah said something similar to her the night before in the carpark before rolling her eyes, “I thought that only applied to when you were teaching him.” 

_____ _

“The lessons not done yet.” 

_____ _

“You were in on this, Nessa?” Scott yelled, gesturing to her wildly. 

_____ _

Vanessa held a finger up, brows furrowed in offense, “No – Derek invited me out here for your first lesson. Which it looks like you failed.” 

_____ _

“Okay, but I was fast right?” her friend pointed out, looking at the man next to him for approval. 

_____ _

“Not fast enough,” Derek rebutted, shaking his head firmly. 

_____ _

“But the car alarm thing, that was smart, right?” 

_____ _

The girl pointed to her friend, nodding at Derek, “That _was _pretty smart. What gave him away actually?”__

_______ _ _ _

“His phone rang. That was what killed you.” 

_______ _ _ _

“Seriously?” she scrunched up her nose at the prospect, “Well, who signed your death sentence? Was it Stiles? I bet all my money that it was fucking Stiles!” 

_______ _ _ _

“Can you both just stop, please?” Scott cut in, his voice loud and frustrated as the two turned to him with looks of surprise, “What happened the other night, Stiles’ dad getting hurt, that was my fault!” 

_______ _ _ _

“Um, how was any of that your fault?” Vanessa frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she faced her friend, “Did you back out and run over Chief? No. Were you the mountain lion that ran around a school parking lot causing havoc? No. So why on earth would you blame yourself?” 

_______ _ _ _

“I should have been there to do something!” 

_______ _ _ _

“Like what?” Derek questioned. 

_______ _ _ _

“ _Something! _” Scott cried, throwing his hands up, “I need you to teach me how to control this.”__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, I am what I am because of birth. You were bitten. Teaching someone who was bitten takes time,” Derek explained, looking Scott dead in the eye before murmuring softly, “I don’t even know if I can teach you.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The boy looked at him aghast, Vanessa admitting sending Derek an incredulous glance at him admitting he couldn’t do everything. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Scott sighed, “What do I have to do?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“You have to get rid of distractions,” Derek stated, snatching Scott’s phone from his hands and holding it up to his face, “You see this. This is why I caught you. You want me to teach you, get rid of _her _.”__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What, just because of her family?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa read Allison’s name across the screen and sighed, “Derek come on. Allison actually helps him. I’m pretty sure she’s that anchor you were talking about all werewolves having.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek’s brow furrowed, unconvinced, “Fine. At least stay away from her until after the full moon. Can you do that? Do you want to protect your friends!?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes! If you can teach me,” Scott sighed, before looking up in determination, “I’ll stay away from her.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa and Derek watched as Scott bent over to gather up the fallen groceries before making his way back to the stairs. As the door closed, Derek hopped into his car, waiting until Vanessa was in before reversing out of the carpark and stopping just off to the side. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He’s lying,” Derek said, eyes trained on the exit. Vanessa snorted in agreement. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No shit. So, what? You’re going to follow him?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If I have to.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott’s car appeared and drove down the street, Derek waiting a moment before following it at a distance as it headed to the side of town where Allison Argent lived. Vanessa rolled her eyes at her best friend’s predictability as the familiar came into sight. The man in the driver’s seat parked the car a bit away from the house. She watched as Scott made a run at the house, jumping up and heaving himself onto the roof where Allison appeared, opening her window and ushering him in. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Doesn’t she realize how strange it is that he got up there like that?” Derek muttered to himself. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa’s lips quirked before explaining, “Dude, you should see the shit _she _can do. Somersaulting and vaulting herself off walls and everything. Anything Scott can, she could probably do.”__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He scoffed, shaking his head and muttering with derision, “Hunters.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Are they all so bad?” she frowned, turning in her seat to stare at the werewolf, “Do they all go after packs and kids like the ones that killed your family?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek leaned back in his seat, his voice bitter as he said, “They’re supposed to have a sort of code but everything they do is contradictory to it. There were perfectly normal people in my family who died in that fire. Kids who hadn’t even learnt to shift yet. Wolves that were so old they couldn’t shift anymore. Harmless, and they watched them burn.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What’s the code?” Vanessa asked softly, sadness tinging the air as she imagined the pain, the fear his family must have felt when they found they couldn’t escape. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She had found out from Scott that only three of them survived, Derek, his sister Laura and his uncle Peter, who was sitting catatonic in a nursing home with half his face burnt off. Which didn’t make sense to Vanessa because werewolves were supposed to have such remarkable healing, so wouldn’t Peter be healed six years later? Unless, of course, if it was more of a psychological injury more than a physical one that prevented the man from healing completely. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She heard Derek sigh before leaning forward, “We hunt what hunts us.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And the fire was completely unprovoked?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man turned to her, dark eyes piercing her as he said, “My mother sought peace with the hunters. And at one of our most sacred gatherings, they burnt her and the rest of them alive in our house for no reason.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But Allison isn’t a hunter,” Vanessa reasoned, turning in her seat to watch the house her friend disappeared into before continuing, “At least not yet. I know she would never hurt Scott, or anyone for that matter unless she thought that was the only thing to do.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t know them, Vanessa,” Derek retorted, lips curling up in a snarl, “They always say they don’t want to hurt innocents but than they go and stick a dagger in your back, calling you stupid for believing in their lies.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa gathered there was more to Derek’s hatred of them than them being the reason his family died. Something personal to him in a way he probably has never let anyone in on. She didn’t think she would be an exception to that anytime soon and instead sighed deeply. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll make you a promise, Derek. If I thought Allison was going to do anything that would hurt you or Scott, I would stop her _myself _,” she declared, staring straight ahead as Allison’s bedroom window opened and Scott jumped out, “I swear it.”__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The werewolf beside her didn’t say anything his hand going to his door handle before something caught her eye, her hand grabbing at his leather jacket to stop him, “Wait.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa pointed to where Scott seemed to be talking to someone beside the house and quickly told Derek to listen in. She waited a moment, watching her friend talk to someone just out of her field of vision before asking Derek who he was talking about. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The dark-haired man was frowning as he answered darkly, “He thinks he’s talking to me.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A shiver ran up her spin as she spun back to her friend who started sprinting for his car, running away from something that was chasing him. She soon found out what when it bounded up the hill and stood up on two legs, staring at her best friend with a predatory focus that made her shoot up from her seat. An arm went over her stomach, preventing her from jumping out of the car to go to Scott. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wait,” Derek whispered harshly, pulling her down by her arm and holding her down as they watched the Alpha circle the car her friend was in before running off into the night. Vanessa sighed in relief when it didn’t show up again, collapsing back into her seat with heavy breathes. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the fuck?” she muttered, watching as Scott got into the front seat, starting up his car and speeding down the road. Derek started after him, taking a short cut to Scott’s house and parking across the street. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Let’s go,” the man next to her said, jerking his head before hopping out. She joined him and together they made their way across the street, going down the side of the house and staring up at Scott’s open bedroom window. Derek turned to her, opening his arms wide, “Come on.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sorry what?” Vanessa blinked in confusion at what he wanted her to do. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hold on to me so I can jump us both into his bedroom,” he explained, gesturing for her to hurry up. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, okay,” she nodded, awkwardly wrapping her arms around his back as his arms came around her tightly, “Just be careful of my head.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Close your eyes,” he muttered to her, causing her to quickly shut them in fear of what would happen if she didn’t. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa felt the air shift, similar to how it feels when you jump up terrifyingly high on a trampoline before she felt herself be set down on a hard-wooden floor. She opened her eyes to find that they were in Scott’s bedroom, with Derek looking out the window as a pair of headlights drove into the driveway. The room was dark besides the moonlight that spilled in from the open window as the two trespassers took seats on Scott’s chair and bed respectively, waiting for the boy to come in. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

After a moment, the bedroom door crashed open, Scott not even looking their way as he rushed over to close the windows and blinds, peeking through them to check if he had been followed before turning the lights on. He jumped back gasping at the sight of Derek, barely blinking his eyes at her as the man beside her got to his feel. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hi-ya, Scotty,” Vanessa said in a sing-song voice, “Where have _you _been?”__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her friend knew he had been caught, closing his eyes as he sighed before quickly coming up with the excuse that he wanted to tell Allison in person that he would be busy over the next week so they couldn’t hang out. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, what happened?” Derek asked, leaning forward, “Did he talk to you?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, we had a nice conversation about the weather,” Scott panted sarcastically, giving the two incredulous looks as he continued, “No, he didn’t talk!” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, did you get anything off of him?” the man questioned, “An impression?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“A social security number, a cell phone number, his birth certificate?” Vanessa continued unhelpfully. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott shook his head at them, “What do you mean?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek sighed to himself, clearly resisting the urge to shake the shit out of the oblivious teen before explaining that Scott had other senses that could have picked up the Alpha’s intentions without it being communicated verbally. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What kind of feeling did you get from him?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott considered this for a moment before nodding, “Anger.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Focused on you?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy frowned, shaking his head, “No…no, not me. But it was definently anger. I could feel it. Especially when he drew the spiral.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wait,” Derek interrupted, recognition alit in his eyes, “the what? What’d you just say?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He drew this spiral on the window of my car, in the condensation, you know?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa watched as Derek looked away, blinking as he process the information. Sliding off the bed to stand next to Scott, she studied the man before stating, “You know what that means, don’t you?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, it’s……it’s nothing,” Derek shook his head, pushing past them to head for the door. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You can’t do that!” Scott exclaimed, halting the man in his attempt to leave as Vanessa slid under his arm to block the door. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You need to tell us, Derek. If that means something, you need to tell us otherwise we’re sitting ducks, having no clue what the hell is going on. That spiral could tell us who the Alpha is and I’m not letting you leave until you tell us what it means.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man growled, “You don’t _want _to know.”__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes we do,” the two teens insisted. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Derek, please,” Vanessa pleaded, grabbing a hold of his shirt, “Tell us. Because if you don’t and Scott dies because of it – I won’t care if Allison turns into a hunter and goes after you. I will hunt you down myself.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek breathed harshly, one hand going to where she held his shirt tightly and the other going to the doorknob as his dark eyes flickered from her to Scott behind her before sighing, “Werewolves have different signs that mean different things. Packs scratch their crest into their property or other pack’s territory to declare war. There are symbols that are warnings, gifts, worship but there’s one symbol that our kind dread more because it’s unpredictable and never ends well.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Which is?” Scott pressed, coming to stand behind Vanessa as they stared up at Derek waiting for an answer. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vendetta,” Derek admitted, loosening Vanessa’s hold from his shirt before opening the door, “It means revenge.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They watched him go in silence before collapsing onto Scott’s bed to process the information, the boy falling back to stare up at his ceiling as his thoughts changed suddenly from the revelation that the Alpha is out for revenge against someone that wronged him to his beautiful girlfriend he had to try to stay away from until the full moon was over. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Stay away from Allison,” Scott whispered, clutching the bedsheets next to him as if the thought physical pained him. Vanessa shot him a quizzical look, leaning on her arms as she turned to him. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We were just told that there is a homicidal Alpha out there taking revenge against some unknown person and you’re worried about not making out with your girlfriend twenty-four seven?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He ignored her, rolling onto his face while continued to mutter the same thing over and over like a mantra. Vanessa sprung up, throwing her hands up in defeat as she started for the door. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, that’s me done for tonight. I’m going home.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She waited for him to get up so he could drive her but turned around to find him still face down. Scrunching up her face in outrage, she threw the first thing that her hand landed on – a really heavy chemistry book – at the werewolf causing him to jerk up in pain. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, shit that was supposed to be something softer,” she apologized with her hand over her mouth before remembering why she threw it and straightening up, “I need a ride home, dumbass.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She made her way down the stairs, a swearing werewolf limping after her.

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	15. Heart Monitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Stiles gets his revenge, Scott gets his ass kicked and Vanessa gets to watch it all go down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a lot of effort but can someone just scroll all the way down to the bottom and just click the kudos button. \  
> Help a girl out, guys!

The next day in English, Vanessa was chatting to Stiles about what her and Scott found out the night before from Derek when the boy himself walked in. Stiles went ridged, turning away from her to stare at the front of the room unblinking. Scott rolled his eyes before taking the seat behind their friend, leaning over to ask if he was still not talking to him. 

Stiles didn’t respond, not even blinking an eye. Vanessa gave Scott a shrug. 

Scott sighed, “Can you at least tell me if your dad’s okay? I mean it’s just a bruise, right? Some soft tissue damage? Nothing that big.” 

Vanessa watched as Stiles rolled his eyes, tongue in cheek as Scott was talking. 

“You know I feel really bad about it, right?” Scott tried again, voice earnest. Still no reply. 

“Okay. What if I told you that I’m trying to figure this whole thing out and that I went to Derek for help?” 

Vanessa turned in her seat to inform Scott that she already told him that when their friend spun around with an incredulous look on his face, “If I was talking to you, I’d say that you were an idiot for trusting him. But I’m obviously not talking to you.” 

He turned back to the front, fixing the board with a cold look that it didn’t really deserve. Vanessa sighed at him, “Come on, man. Scott said he was sorry and what could he do? The car came out of nowhere and he wasn’t anywhere near Chief to help out.” 

Stiles leaned forward as the bell rang, getting ready to write down notes when her words and his curiosity warred with his ability to hold a grudge, wearing his resolve down. He spun in his seat, fixing Scott with an eager look, “So, Derek said that it meant revenge?” 

The teacher at the front of the room told him off for talking and he spun around, but not before muttering they would be discussing it later. 

Taking advantage of the fact that she was already ahead in English, Vanessa spent the lesson trying to figure this Alpha out. She drew up a chart about everything they knew of him from the spiral meaning he wanted revenge, to biting Scott the night before school started which happened to be the same day that Derek came to town looking for his sister, who had been missing for at least a week after coming back to Beacon Hills to look for the Alpha. She added possible reasons why he might be pissed and took into consideration that if he was a werewolf, and probably a local one at that, he might have a connection with Derek’s former pack. Her notebook was a chart of reasons all revolving around one common denominator – The Massacre of the Hale Pack. 

Something that Isaac had told her when he tutored her for the first time was that aggression was borne from conflict. The conflict could be the burning of the Hale Pack which would result in the anger Scott claimed to have felt from the Alpha and the violent attacks that have been happening. But if this was really about what happened with the fire, why would the Alpha wait six years to get his revenge? With this newfound information, she had to stop considering the Alpha as some uncontrollable animal and as a werewolf – half animal with basic primal instincts and half man with thoughts, memories and feelings that acted as a focus for those instincts. Something told her the victims of the animal attacks weren’t as random as Derek, Scott and Stiles’ were dismissing them to be. 

Soon enough, the bell rang for lunch and the three of them scrambled up and out the door continuing their discussion from earlier. 

“The Alpha drew a spiral on my car, which apparently means he wants revenge according to Derek, who says I can’t see Allison until after the full moon because apparent she distracts me from learning control and instead suggested that I focus on getting angry,” Scott caught him up as they walked down the hall towards the cafeteria. 

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but every time you do that, you try to kill someone and that someone is usually me,” Stiles pointed out. 

“I know. That’s what he means when he says he doesn’t know if he can teach me,” Scott explained, sighing deeply. 

“He’s saying that because that’s how he was taught to control himself,” Vanessa stated, frowning in concentration as she continued thinking out loud, “Maybe born wolves are taught to focus on emotions as they, having been wolves for longer, would have more of a chance controlling such volatile feelings. He’s still teaching you like a born wolf and not a bitten wolf.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Derek is a werewolf – through and through. He’s been raised a werewolf, acted as a werewolf and therefore is at peace with himself and his identity. You have been raised human and still acting human, constantly at war to control this new part of you. You need to control this primal rage like a human.” 

“And how does he do that? Jackson could be described as having a primal rage since freakin’ _birth _and he’s yet to reign any of those issues in,” Stiles threw in sarcastically.__

____

“What do we do when we want to calm down? We seek a calm, quiet environment and companionship that makes us feel relaxed. At peace. Scott, when do you feel most at peace, most happy?” 

____

“With Allison,” he replied without hesitation, his eyes softening as he said her name. 

____

“Right,” Vanessa nodded, waving her hands as if to say ‘see’, “That’s where her as your anchor comes in. But we need to test it out before the full moon, just to make sure.” 

____

“How are we gonna to do that?” Scott scrunched up his face, stopping his tracks. 

____

Vanessa shrugged, not considering that. Stiles patted Scott on the chest suddenly, brown eyes lighting up with an idea. 

____

“When are you seeing him next?” 

____

“He’s picking me up at the animal clinic after work.” 

____

“That gives me ‘til the end of the school day.” 

____

“To do what?” 

____

“To teach you myself,” Stiles declared, walking ahead as Scott and Vanessa exchanged questioning looks before following after him. 

____

At the cafeteria, Vanessa caught sight of Allison and Lydia and excused herself to make her way over to where the two girls were discussing Allison’s history project. 

____

“I’m sorry, the _what of what _?” the newcomer remarked before settling down across from the dark-haired girl holding a book as the strawberry blonde at the head of the table forked up food.__

______ _ _

“ _The Beast of Gevaudan _,” Allison repeated to her, before turning back to the page and reading out a passage about a wolf-like monster that roamed eighteenth century France before being hunted down and killed by a man of the name Argent, one of her ancestors. Lydia was less than impressed by this whereas Vanessa sat back gaping at her friend’s rich and colourful history – and the fact that meant her family had been hunting werewolves for at least well over two hundred years.__

________ _ _ _ _

Allison flipped the book around to show the strawberry blonde sceptic a picture of the wolf and Vanessa almost shrieked when she came face to face with a portrait almost identical to the Alpha that was roaming Beacon Hills. That Lydia herself had had a run in with it. The girl became entranced with fear, unable to tear her eyes away from it and causing Allison to call her name repeatedly to get her attention. 

________ _ _ _ _

Her green eyes flickered, “It looks. Like a big. _Wolf _. See you in history.”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

With that, the girl got up and left the table. Allison raised a brow at Vanessa, to which the girl shrugged. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Probably looked similar to that mountain lion that was at the video store the same night her and Jackson were there,” Vanessa suggested, trying to get as close to the truth without really speaking it. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched as Allison turned back to her book before something over her shoulder caught her attention, causing her to slam the book shut and shoot up from her seat. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott!” her friend called out, staring behind her. Vanessa turned to see the two boys scrambling out of the cafeteria and rolled her eyes at their unsubtle exit. Allison raced after them, which meant that Vanessa, in turn, had to go after them because she definently wasn’t going to be left sitting there looking like a fucking dumbass. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She and Allison followed them to the boys toilets, where they disappeared. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe he needed to pee really badly?” Vanessa reasoned, getting a raised eyebrow in return. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The dark-haired girl sighed and she felt sympathy for the confusion she found in her friend’s dark eyes. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll stay here and tell him you wanted to speak to him,” she offered, feeling a bit better when Allison gave her a small grateful smile before heading back to the cafeteria and leaving Vanessa leaning against the lockers waiting for the two boys to come out. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott peaked out from behind the door, jumping out of his skin when he saw Vanessa there giving him an unimpressed look. He inched out, looking around frantically, Stiles following after him until she sighed. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s gone. Disappointed and confused, but gone,” she explained, crossing her arms over her chest. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy with the thick brown hair banged his head against the locker, Stiles coming around to pat his shoulder. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, the quicker we get this wolf thing under control the quicker you can get back to her,” the boy smiled reassuringly before leading them both out of the building and onto the lacrosse field. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles sat down on the bench, rifling through his gym back as Scott stood in front of him, clearly having no idea what was happening. Neither did Vanessa but she did what she always did and sat down at the bleachers behind them, letting things play out and hoped to God that they didn’t fuck things up more than they already did. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Now….” The boy almost face first in his bag reached out and extended one of the heart rate monitors that the track team usually used towards Scott, “put this on.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Of course, the two boys got caught up in their mixed definitions of Stiles stealing the monitors from Coach before she cleared her throat, bringing to attention that they had a very limited amount of time to be fucking around. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Alright, your heart rate goes up when you go wolf right?” Stiles explained, waving a hand at Scott. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded in understanding what her friend was trying to do and watched him explain to Scott that maybe the key to learning to control his anger, was learning to control his heart rate. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Like the _Incredible Hulk _?”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched as Stiles blinked, shaking his head at Scott before agreeing that was one way to put it. Scott seemed to like the analogy before being told to shut up and put the strap on. Stiles than began to duct tape their friend’s hands behind his back before leading him to the field where he put some distance between them, hands wrapped around a lacrosse stick with a bag full of balls just waiting to be hurled at an easily provoked werewolf. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She leaned back onto her arms, crossing her legs as she prepared herself for a show. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_This is going to end well._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa cringed as the first ball was hurled, hitting the target with a hard thud. Then the next. And the next one. Oh, God that looked _really _fucking bad. _ **Not the face!** _Is Stiles getting suspiciously better at his aim? If Stiles could throw like this during games, they probably wouldn’t need Scott to go all wolf to win shots. A figure appeared out of the corner of her eye as she turned and watched as Jackson leaned against the side of the bleachers, grinning curiously at he watched Stiles hurtle balls at Scott.____

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Enjoying the show?” she called out to the ball, causing him to whip his head up towards her in surprise. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No more than you are,” he retorted, piercing her with silver blue eyes. It was times like these where the reality that Jackson Whittemore was actually kind of hot outweighed the reality that he was a massive prick. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wish it was you?” Vanessa quipped, hopping onto the bench and walking towards him in the hopes that he would focus on her and not the werewolf that could change at any point during the exercise. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His eyes flickered between the two before landing on her, “Don’t have to wish. Just have to wait 'til next lacrosse practice.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I wouldn’t count on it.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He grunted, nodding his head towards the pair, “What are they even doing?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“An exercise Stiles learnt that helped with anger management. And building up someone’s pain tolerance. You should try it sometime; I know a hundred people who would gladly take turns hurtling balls to your face.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jackson scoffed, before tilting his head as a groan sounded from behind her. She sighed, turning around to see Scott snap the duct tape and grip the ground in front of him, his head down and his breathing so heavy she could hear it from where she stood. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What’s wrong with him?” Jackson muttered, probably to himself as he stepped forward. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa swung to face him, blocking his view of Scott before snarking, “Um, he just got twenty balls thrown at all his tender parts. That’s bound the leave any guy on the ground, don’t you think? And I think the better question, Jackson, is what’s wrong with _you _? Looking a bit pale there, dude. Maybe you should ask your girlfriend if you could borrow some of her foundation. You need it.”__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Turning away from him without waiting for a response, she hopped down and jogged to where Scott was starting to calm down, placing a hand on his back as he breathed in deeply. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You started to change,” Stiles stated, crouching down in front of them. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“From anger,” Scott panted, looking up at them both through pained eyes, “But it was more than that. It was like the angrier I got, the stronger I felt.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles summed up, sitting back on his heels as Scott pressed his face to the ground, “Derek’s right.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I can’t be around Allison,” the other boy said in remorse. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because she makes you happy?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because she makes me weak.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A swift kick to his leg sent the two boys giving the girl who delivered it looks of shock. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wh-why?” Scott gestured frantically, wondering what made the girl so angry that she would kick a man while he was down. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because the ‘woman make you weak thing’ was a little bit too Spartan warrior,” Stiles nodded in empathy, getting a nod from Vanessa as she stepped back to inspect her handiwork. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because you were being _stupid _,” she spat angrily, bending down to tilt her best friend’s chin up so he could look her in the eyes when she said, “Allison doesn’t make you _weak___

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___She pulled him up and sat him down at the bleachers, standing in front of him with her arms crossed._ _ _

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I want you to think about the Alpha. Think about him creeping around Allison’s house one night when she is asleep. Think about him climbing in through her window and crawling over to her bed. Standing over her while she slept soundly. I want you to think of him **ripping her throat out with his teeth and leaving her head on your front lawn**.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott’s face morphed into a more lupine form, hair growing excessively form his cheeks bones as the ridges of his brows and nose became more wolf than man. Golden eyes began to glow as he snarled at the image she was creating with sharp fangs. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Now imagine,” she spoke quickly, holding a handout to Stiles to stay where he was while she continued, “That she is in front of you, laughing and whispering in your ear. _That’s not real. I’m real. I’m here. I’m with you _. Allison isn’t dead, she’s always there in your heart. Turn away from what your wolf wants, from what the Alpha wants and turn to her. Turn to her, with brown eyes and human, and hug her. Feel the way her heart beats slow and steady in time to **YOURS**. Can you feel her heartbeat, Scott?” __

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The wolf in front of her shut his eyes tight, the claws on his hands gripping the metal bench as he searched for her heartbeat. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Remember that heartbeat,” Vanessa whispered, crouching down to watch him, “And breathe in time to it. Breathe, Scott.” 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was the longest minute of her life as she waited, watching as he gripped that seat so tightly until the hair disappeared along his face and he stopped snarling at her with vicious canines, finally opening his eyes to reveal brown instead of gold. He gasped in shock, clutching at his shirt with blunt nails while Stiles laughed breathlessly. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It worked,” the boy breathed out in bewilderment, “I can’t believe that actually worked.” 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang that it was time for fourth period as the three of them stared at one another with elation. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But just in case,” Vanessa said in a serious voice, “Keep the heart monitor on. We have Economics next so he’s going to need it.” 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The trio took off towards the building and barely made it in time as Coach yelled at everyone to get to their seats. Vanessa took one on the far right in the third row while Scott took the one next to her. Stiles was about to take the seat behind him when a familiar dark-haired girl cut in between them and stole it, giving him a sweet smile. Stiles nodded, sitting to Allison’s right. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A tall boy entered the room and immediately all of Vanessa’s worries about Scott and the fact he could murder them all at any given moment floated away as Isaac Lahey made his way to the spare seat behind her. She turned and gave him a little wave to which he gave her a timid smile back before facing forward, not wanting chance Coach’s wrath that lesson. 

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_God, he really was too cute for this world._

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She tuned out Scott’s conversation with Allison, catching the girl inviting him to his house at eight thirty before Coach announced he wanted someone to read out their allocated reading material, and what do you know, he picked Scott. She knew the poor boy barely had time to sleep with all the shit he had to deal with on a daily basis and therefore grimaced at the painful display of Coach being Coach – basically embarrassing the fuck out of him. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A beeping noise caught her attention, leaning back to catch Stiles pull out his phone that was still connected to the heart monitor. As the beeping increased the more Coach tore into their best friend, the two teenagers exchanged stricken looks, going ridged in their chairs as they waited for their friend to turn wolf and massacre their teacher in front of them until the beeping suddenly slowed down. Even as Coach turned away and kept muttering, the beeping slowed until it came to a stop implying that Scott’s heart rate had gone steady. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She frowned, studying her friend as he glanced behind him to the girl he was infatuated with and it was than that she caught sight of their joined hands under the table, confirming her earlier theory that Allison, for the lack of a better term, anchors him. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And they really need to let go of each otherwise her teeth were going to rot from the amount of sugary sweetness happening in front of her. Alas, to spite her single eyes, they stayed like that for the remainder of the lesson much to both her relief and her bitterness. God, she needed to get laid because if she became one of those people that got jealous and bitchy because their friends were happy and she wasn’t, she was going to track down that Alpha guy and throw herself on his claws. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang for last period after a long, grueling hour of staring at their joined hands enviously – and to make sure he didn’t fucking let go because she didn’t want to chance him getting ticked off again – she and the trio said goodbye to Allison before making their way down the hall, talking excitedly about what they witnessed in class. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But it doesn’t always work like that,” Scott argued, referring to how he felt when they were being intimate together – something she really didn’t want to hear about from a guy she considered her brother. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles dismissed it before explaining the difference between being a hormonal teenager and shifting. In the middle of his explanation, Scott started nodding off with a goofy smile on his face saying he was most definently thinking about sex. Vanessa giggled as he apologized sheepishly before Stiles continued. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think Vanessa’s right,” Stiles stated, “I don’t think Allison makes you weak. I think she gives you control. What did you call it, Ness?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“An anchor,” she said, smiling slightly, “Allison is Scott’s anchor.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I love her,” Scott confirmed, nodding his head. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Exactly.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched as her friend’s eyes widened in shock, looking at the two of them as he said, “Did I just say that?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, you just said that,” Stiles smirked, giving him a slight punch to shoulder. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa grinned as Scott beamed, “I love her. I’m totally in love with her.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And that’s beautiful,” the other boy blinked before grabbing his shoulder and continuing, “Now, before you go off and write a sonnet, can we figure this out please?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He’s right,” Vanessa nodded in agreement, “You can’t always be around Allison and I don’t think the heartbeat trick will work all the time, especially if she isn’t nearby.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, what do I do?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles rubbed his face tiredly, sighing as he said, “I don’t know, yet.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott and Vanessa watched as their friend spun around, blinking rapidly as if he had something in his eye and nodded in recognition. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh no, you’re getting an idea, aren’t you?” Scott groaned, shoulders slouching in dread. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” Stiles tilted his head as if considering it. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Is this idea gonna get me in trouble?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Is this idea gonna cause me physical pain?” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles nodded certainly, “Yeah, definently, come on.” 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They followed their friend to the car park where Stiles positioned Scott with his keys in hand, stepping back and telling him that no matter what happens, to think of Allison. Vanessa frowned, leaning against the brick wall as she tried to figure out what her friend was trying to do. And then felt her jaw drop as Stiles keyed the black truck sitting next to them. And then put a hand over her mouth as Stiles called over a group of guys who clearly owned the truck and blaming the damage on Scott, who stood there shocked. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa shook her head as the first fist slammed into Scott’s face, sending him sprawling. She couldn’t watch her friend get beat up, so she just turned around and cringed every time she heard the sound of someone getting the shit kicked out of them. The beeping of the heart monitor got progressively faster until she heard Harris’s voice break through, yelling at the boys to stop and sending them running. She turned to find Stiles holding his phone proudly, a steady heartbeat displayed on the screen.

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	16. Silent Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She imagined a pair of strong arms around her, holding her tight against a warm chest and the faint accent that whispered in her ear, “ _We’re okay, we’re okay, we’ll get through this, we’ll get through this _.”__
> 
> __Vanessa closed her eyes and, in her mind, remembered his strong heartbeat and pretended she could feel in thrumming against her back, reminding her that they were still alive. That she was still alive._ _
> 
> ___You’re not trapped. You’re not cornered. You’re not alone. You’re alive. You’ll make it out alive. ____ _
> 
> ____Isaac Lahey didn’t know it but he kept her alive that night as she waited it out in the back of Stiles’ jeep, terrified that each second was going to be her last_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm not trying to romanticize mental illness or real life trauma - sorry if it comes across like that and sorry if this offends a lot of people. When she goes to thinking about Isaac when she's in the jeep, she thinks of someone who subconsciously gives her a sense of safety, comfort and companionship that certain people crave when they are terrified. Like, if you think about it, when you're alone at night or scared about something happening, there's got to be one person who, if they were there, would make you feel at least a bit better.
> 
> Also I didn't like how they completely keep ignoring the traumatic impact these sorts of things have on people - especially kids. I will use Vanessa, and some other characters as you will notice, to demonstrate the different reactions to the aftermath of certain violent or terrifying scenes that the show didn't really touch down upon.

Now that she had one problem solved, she needed to get a head start on the next which was figuring out who this Alpha was and then sending Derek to finish him off so that her friend was free from his torment. As soon as she got home, she pulled out her drafted chart from English and immediately began to expand on what she knew. 

That the Alpha was out for revenge, and therefore his attacks were done in the name of that revenge so somehow the victims had some connection to the conflict that inspired his aggression. The only known conflict that had to do with werewolves was the burning of the Hale house six years ago where there were on three known survivors. 

Derek, who had an alibi and the colour of his eyes to define himself as a Beta not an Alpha, Laura, who was dead and presumably killed by the Alpha if what Kate Argent told Derek was true and finally, Peter, whose catatonic state didn’t convince her of his innocence quiet yet. If werewolves were real, than she was willing to believe that a man who has seemingly not moved an inch in six years – when he’s supposed to have _super werewolf healing _– is the Alpha werewolf killing seemingly random people which left her with one course of action to take.__

____

She called up Derek and waited until he answered her call, “ _What _?”__

______ _ _

“Is that anyway to talk to someone who thinks she might know how to find out who the Alpha is?” 

______ _ _

“ **What**? Did he find Scott? Put him on the phone!” 

______ _ _

“No, Scott doesn’t know anything. Look, the Alpha made it clear he is killing people because of revenge right? So, to find out what has caused him to kill people, you need to find out more about the victims. Their past jobs, police records, connections, anything that might look out of the ordinary. Only when you find out what he’s killing for will you be able to narrow down who it is that would be most affected enough to kill.” 

______ _ _

Derek was silent, not giving away anything before he simply said, “Okay,” and hung up the phone. 

______ _ _

“You’re welcome,” she said sarcastically, tossing her phone onto her bed while muttering, “ _Dickwad _.”__

________ _ _ _ _

She sprang up straight away when the phone rang again, scrambling to answer it in case she was going to hear a once in a lifetime apology from Derek Hale. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Hello?” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Get ready to leave in fifteen minutes,” was all Scott said before hanging up, leaving her staring at her phone at the audacity he had to tell her what to do before throwing on her coat and grabbing her keys to the front door, telling her parents she was going out with friends and should be home by ten at the latest before walking out in the cool night to wait for her friend’s to pick her up. 

________ _ _ _ _

A few minutes later, Stiles’ blue jeep pulled up next to her house and already halfway up the road before she could even get both feet into the car. “ _Excuse me _?” she shrieked, pulling the door shut quickly before turning to the two boys, “Were you planning on going back for my other leg?”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

They didn’t say anything, continuing to face the front. Vanessa assumed it was going to be one of those very tense car rides where the destination was more important than the journey, choosing instead to sit back and send a text to Allison about how her boyfriend was beyond fucking weird and that she should really get him out of the habit. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Not even five minutes later, Stiles pulled up in the school parking lot and hopped out alongside Scott. Vanessa sighed before following them, throwing her head back groaning, “Guys, we just left here not even three hours ago. Why the fuck are we back here if we don’t have to be?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Once again, they ignored her in favor of opening up the back of the jeep and arguing about some terrible idea Scott had when Derek’s car pulled up next to them, the man hopping out. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Where’s my boss?” Scott asked, frowning at him. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa blinked, confused, “I’m sorry, what do you mean _where’s your boss _? Are you talking about Doctor Deaton from the clinic?”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Relax, he’s in the back,” Derek jerked his head, leaning next to his car. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa shook her head before leaning down to find the doctor tied up with duct tape stuck across his mouth, unconscious from what seemed like a serious beating. The girl jerked back with her hand over her mouth as Stiles retorted sarcastically, “Well, he looks _comfortable _.”__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **What?!** _” she shrieked, gesturing wildly to the unconscious dude in the back of Derek’s car, “How the fuck are you so _casual _about this? And Derek? What the fuck, man? Why is Scott’s boss _bloody and unconscious _in the back of your fucking car?”______

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek jutted out his chin, “Because he’s the Alpha.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa stared at him in shock for a moment before bursting out laughing, holding her stomach as she said, “Deaton’s not the fucking Alpha!” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He knew about the spiral. Who else could he be?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Not the fucking _Alpha _I know that much!”__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two boys turned away from their argument, heading inside. Derek turned to them frowning, “Wait, where the hell do you think you’re going?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We have a plan. Just wait here.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek and Vanessa watched as the two boys disappeared into the building leaving them with nothing to do but wait and see what this plan looked like. She made herself comfortable leaning against Stiles’ van, ignoring Derek as he came to stand next to her. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Look, he knows _something _, okay?” Derek reasoned after a brief period of silence between the two, looking down at her through dark lashes.__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He might,” Vanessa nodded in agreement, turning so she could face him, “But that doesn’t mean he’s the Alpha. I’m sure there’s non-threatening people that know about your world.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“There is but I don’t think he’s one of them.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Agree to disagree,” she waved her hand at him before being cut out by the sound of the school intercom being turned on. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Suddenly, a loud wail – like that of a dying cat – echoed through the school. Derek sighed deeply next to her muttering, “You _got _to be kidding me.”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _What the hell was **that** _?” Vanessa scrunched up her face as it died off.__

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That was Scott trying to howl, probably to draw the Alpha to the school,” he explained, leaning back so his head banged the back of Stiles jeep. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Didn’t fucking sound like it.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No shit.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Suddenly, the intercom sounded again but this time a loud roar could be heard, sending shivers up her spin and goosebumps erupting on her skin. Her and Derek turned to look at the direction the sound came from in panic, sure that it would draw the attention of more than just the Alpha. The two boys exited the building a few minutes later, shoving each other playfully with stupid grins on their face before stopping in front of the two people gaping at them. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **What the hell was that?** _” Derek snapped, leaning forward at them, “You want the whole state to know you’re here?”__

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was going to be that loud,” Scott smiled uneasily, looking to Stiles. 

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, it was loud! And it was freakin' _**awesome** _,” Stiles gushed, laughing.__

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **Shut it** ,” Derek barked, sounding a bit like a child whose younger brother was getting more attention than him. 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t be such a sour-wolf,” Stiles retorted, causing Vanessa to erupt in giggles at the nickname. 

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s _not _funny,” Derek insisted, looking at her with a frantic expression that made her laugh harder.__

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They kept arguing until Scott asked frowning, “Where’s my boss?” 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek and Vanessa turned to his car but found the door wide open and no sign of the Doctor. A dark shadow flew towards them so fast she barely had time to step back as the Alpha appeared behind Derek, impaling him with his claws and heaving him up. The man coughed, blood bubbling from his mouth before he was thrown against a wall and dropped, his body going still. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa screamed, jumping into Stiles’ boot as the Alpha took off for the boys, who headed to the front doors. She hid herself under the picnic blanket her friend kept in the back and slapped a hand over her mouth, breathing heavily as she fought back the bile that crept up her throat. Salty tears borne of terror welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks as the silence outside ate at her mind like a disease. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ever crackle of grabble and creak of the car sent her heart jumping and she knew that she would have to steady it if she didn’t want the creature outside to find her quickly and end up like Derek, who she was pretty sure was dead. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as an ear-piercing sound like the twist of metal broke out, followed by the sound of glass shattering. Her eyes squeezed shut and she tried to think of some way to calm down because she didn’t have an hour to ride it out like she usually did. She thought of the past and found her mind snag on the incident that happened two nights ago. 

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She imagined a pair of strong arms around her, holding her tight against a warm chest and the faint accent that whispered in her ear, _“We’re okay, we’re okay, we’ll get through this, we’ll get through this _.”__

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa closed her eyes and, in her mind, remembered his strong heartbeat and pretended she could feel in thrumming against her back, reminding her that they were still alive. That she was still alive. 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You’re not trapped. You’re not cornered. You’re not alone. You’re alive. You’ll make it out alive._

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac Lahey didn’t know it but he kept her alive that night as she waited it out in the back of Stiles’ jeep, terrified that each second was going to be her last and the only thing she could do was keep her heartbeat slow and steady, not moving an inch even as another car drove into the carpark and the sound of people chatting faded away into the school that was unknowingly a death trap. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She didn’t know how long she had laid there, mouthing prayers and last words that she thought she might never get to say to her moms, her friends, Isaac. All the things she never got to do, the things she never got to see. The things she never got feel. She thought maybe an hour had passed with her friends probably dead or running for their lives when a loud roar, even louder than the one Scott made earlier, shook the car around her. She couldn’t hold back the cry as she curled in on herself in fear that was the last sound she would ever hear, and it scared her to the depth of her core. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa shoved her face into the floor of Stiles’ jeep and kept repeating her silent mantra, imaging there was someone there with her, holding her, protecting her so that she didn’t have to face the fact she might die alone. It was the longest night of her life, laying there like a sitting duck when the sound of sirens rang out in the silence like the echoes of angels breaking down heavens gate to come get her. But despite the fact her mind screamed at her that she was safe, that she could leave, her body wouldn’t move. She found herself paralyzed and all of her mantra’s stopped ringing true with her. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I can’t move. I’m trapped. I’m stuck. I can’t run. He’ll find me. He’s coming._

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She could hear voices all around her, the crackling of radios and more sirens in the distance telling her that there was more help. Sounds that told her she was going to be okay. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But she still couldn’t _move _.__

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She had read about people being paralyzed from fear, but she never thought she would be caught so easily in it’s grasp. She cursed herself and her weakness and for the first time since finding out about werewolves, she wished she had their strength so that she could get out of the jeep and go find her friends. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A light shone through the back window, finding her still form in the darkness of the boot and staying on her as she heard someone call out for another person. She shied away, prepared to meet her death as the door to Stiles’ jeep flew open and the Sheriff appeared. She tremored despite the fact she had known this man since birth and screamed as he moved towards her. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Shhhhh,” he soothed gently, holding his hands out and leaning in like she was an injured animal, “It’s alright, sweetheart. You’re safe now.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She looked at him with wide eyes, clutching the blanket and not making any move to go near him. He sighed, looking over his shoulder and shouting for her mother but turned back quickly when he noticed her flinch at the loud sound. The Sheriff waved his hands to the deputy beside him to get the light out of her face and to move back before crouching down to her eye level. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa,” he said softly, hands holding onto the floor of the jeep as she blinked at him with puffy red eyes, “Nessa, it’s me. It’s Chief. You know me. You’re safe now, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her lip wobbled as she tried to speak, stuttering out between broken sobs, “Ch-h-i-e-e-f-f?” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s it. It’s just Chief,” he nodded, leaning forward slightly to inch his hand across the space between them. She willed her hand to move, to meet him and felt her fingers move, than her hand and then her arm as it rose slowly. She grasped onto his weathered hands and hoisted herself up, arms shaking as she shuffled across the boot and into her godfather’s arms. She sobbed loudly into his chest, not quiet processing the fact that she was safe but just knowing that someone else was there, that she wasn’t alone in that jeep anymore was enough. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa!” a shriek pierced the air as her mother sprinted over to her. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl had recovered some more now that she realized the people that were moving around her weren’t tall, hairy creatures with red eyes and pulled out of the Sheriff’s arms to be enveloped in Sarah’s waiting arms. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Mom!” she cried, burying her face into her neck and inhaling the familiar perfume. She was safe. If her mom was here, she would be safe. She wasn’t alone. The Alpha was gone. And she was safe. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s alright, baby girl,” Sarah shushed, running a gentle hand through her daughters knotty curls and pulling back to lay her forehead against her own, “I’m here. You’re safe now.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Whe-ere where’s my friends?” Vanessa croaked, spinning around hoping to God she didn’t see them on a stretcher with a white sheet over their bodies. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They’re alright. They’re over by the steps giving their statements,” Sarah explained, leading her gently to the ambulance that arrived, “But right now, we need to get you cleared and taken home.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The older woman clearly expected her to argue, to insist that she go over and check that her friends were alright herself but instead Vanessa wanted nothing more than to go home. She trusted her mother’s word - if she said her friends were fine, they were fine. She just wanted to go home, to get away from that jeep that became a prison to her in an hour and wanted to remind herself that she could leave, that she wasn’t trapped in there waiting to die. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Of course, in the back of her mind she was worried sick for them. She wondered if Derek survived his injuries, if Scott and Stiles had gotten out unscathed and if Allison, Jackson and Lydia weren’t too shaken up but that part of her mind was behind walls and walls of anxiety that sang to her in deceptively dark voices that she couldn’t leave, that she would die if she went, that she needed to get back in the jeep and keep waiting. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The light in the ambulance was bright as the EMT’s checked her for a concussion, for any visible injuries and gave her something for the nerves before clearing her, letting her soak in the fresh air in their van as they led another person over to sit next to her. She recognized the Doctor immediately, looking at him with wide eyes as he was checked over and eventually told to wait there so someone could take his statement. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Doctor Deaton?” she began quietly, clutching the blanket they had put around her close to her body. 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes,” he nodded, turning to look at her, “You’re one of Scott’s friends aren’t you?” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nessa,” she replied, instinctively answering with her nickname, “Are you okay?” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I am, thank you for asking. I had a terrible fright this afternoon when that man –“ 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Derek Hale,” she interrupted, leaning in to whisper, “You and I both know what happened this afternoon. I told him you weren’t the Alpha but he didn’t believe me. I know you know about them.” 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Young lady, I don’t know what you’re talking about – “ 

_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **Please** _,” she gritted out, blinking back tears as he tried to play dumb, “People are already treating me like I’m crazy and I spent an hour in a jeep almost pissing myself in fear that I would die so I’m already probably half way there but not about this. I won’t tell anyone and wont force you to tell me but don’t treat me like I’m crazy.”__

_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Deaton nodded, allowing her to continue on saying, “I know you know about them. The wolves. And you know way more about the attacks. When you can, if you can, give Derek a note or something that will help us put a stop to the Alpha. I don’t want to ever be stuck like that again – I don’t want to ever question if I am spending the last moments on earth terrified in the back of a _jeep _.”__

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The doctor hesitated before nodding again, giving her hand a squeeze before taking his hand away just as Scott appeared in front of them. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa!” he cried in relief, “Boss!” 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She shied away from him as he went to hug her, something he noticed and immediately backed away from to look over his boss. Deaton fed him that line about how Scott was the reason he was alive as Vanessa slipped off the ambulance and headed towards where mother was standing with the Sheriff and Stiles, who upon seeing her sighed in relief and glassy eyes, hugging her to him. She didn’t move, standing as still as she could before he backed away from her. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he croaked out, studying her from head to toe, “Or at least alive.” 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s enough,” the Sheriff butted in, grabbing his son by the shoulder and pushing himself between them to look down at his goddaughter softly, “You two can go home now. Take care of yourself, Vanessa.” 

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She nodded at him, ignoring Stiles’ attempt to catch her eye as Sarah led her to her car and helped her inside. The ride home was silent, which made her nervous until her mother caught onto her anxiousness and put the radio on. The music was a soothing change to the deadly quiet from an hour earlier and the loud, unending chatter of people and sirens. Her mom gently took her hand into her own, ignoring her flinch as she entwined their fingers together. She held her hand the entire ride, only letting go when she went to park the car in the driveway. 

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“I’ll be back in the minute. Keep your eyes on me,” Sarah directed, noting the haunted look in her eyes as she made to get out of the car. Vanessa spun around in her seat as her mother walked to her side of the car and opened the door, helping her out once more. 

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The front door opened, and Lisa hurried out, immediately taking her daughter into her arms. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I was so worried about you,” she murmured, tightening her arms to the point where Vanessa started pulling back violently, the word trapped ringing through her mind. The small blonde woman looked at her with wide eyes as her daughter actively shied away from her, shrinking into herself. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She watched as Sarah gave her wife a look that communicated their daughter needed to be handled with care and hated it, because she hated the amount of weakness she showed that told the two woman she needed to be treated any differently than normal. Her shoulders tightened as they approached from both sides, gently placing their hands on her arms and leading her through the front door. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lisa went to shut the door behind them as Sarah took Vanessa upstairs and headed to the bathroom. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m going to run you a bath, which will calm your nerves,” she told Vanessa in a calm voice, bending down to run the hot water, “The door will be open and I will wait for you outside – so you’re not trapped, you’re okay and you’re not alone.” 

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The girl nodded that she understood, taking her clothes off as the older woman walked out of the room. Vanessa gingerly dipped a toe in the water, easing herself into the warm water before settling back. Her arms were full of tension as her eyes fixed themselves on the door, watching it was if at any moment the Alpha could crawl in and end her life. The water rose to just below her breast, causing her to lean forward and turn the tap off. 

___________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She sat in that bath for what felt like hours, not moving to wash herself or do anything as she stared at the door. She jumped slightly when Sarah peaked her head around to check that she was okay and unclenched her fingers from where they were curled around the marble tub. 

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Deciding that she couldn’t just sit in the bath all night, she hopped out and drained the water before towelling off and heading to her room. Sarah followed, hovering at the door as the girl took in the closed windows and blinds, the way the radio was playing some soft music and how the light was on so that it was abundantly clear she wasn’t still back in that jeep. 

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But as the girl got dressed into her warmest pyjamas, and her mother kissed her goodnight, closing the door, she was back there and it was like she never left as the creature outside brushed against the blue jeep, making a scraping sound that sent the hairs rising on her neck and the blood running to her head as she lunged up screaming, effectively waking up the inhabitants of the house she lived in.

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	17. Laughing (With Our Eyes Wet)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison and Vanessa exchange how they felt about what they went through the night before.
> 
> And a surprise visitor shows up at her door soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that there is nothing that makes me feel better than being around a good friend. 
> 
> One time after I had a panic attack in the bathrooms because I got a bad trigger from an ex boyfriend, all six of my friends went out of their way to make me feel safe for the rest of the day. This chapter was mostly inspired by how they made me feel afterwards and how I felt like that person could never hurt me again. 
> 
> So girls, if you ever wind up reading this (I don't know why you would because I only told one of you - Katie, don't be a fucking snitch) this one's for you.
> 
> JK Katie I love you babe and we're rocking once this quarantines over x

The sun peaked through the trees outside her window, casting a warm glow inside the previously dark room. Vanessa sat at her window seat, her blankets tucked in around her while she nursed a warm hot chocolate in her hands as she stared out into the distance, her mind a million miles away from the nightmares that chased her. She sighed to herself, the need to sleep whispering lullabies in her ear as her eyes began to close, only to send her back to what had been haunting her for hours. 

After screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night, Lisa and Sarah had come into her room to find her frozen on the bed, crying silently as she held a hand over her heart. They told her she was muttering to herself, head cocked as if she was listening out for something. Vanessa had no recollection of what had happened, because for her she had never woken up from the dream. After coaxing her to realization, the women cuddled her close and listened to her nightmares before leaving to make her a warm drink. That had been four hours ago, and she was on her fourth coffee. 

Her phone buzzed from beside her, drawing her attention away from her window to read the name on the caller ID. Allison Argent. Vanessa sighed, slowly picking the phone up and lifting it to her ear as she answered. 

“Hello?” her voice rasped, raw from the hysteria she had spent most of the night in. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” her friend responded softly, her own voice betraying that she too was still deeply shaken from last night. 

“No.” 

“Do you think maybe it would be okay if we could stay up together?” 

Her timid voice made Vanessa softened as she clutched her blanket to her chest, leaning against the window. While she wanted to spend some time away from anything and everything related to the Alpha – including her two best friends – she didn’t want to sit in this pit of loneliness that clenched her heart in an iron fist. 

“I have tons of coffee,” she attempted to joke, rubbing at her eyes, “It would be a shame if I had to drink it all by myself.” 

Allison let out a breathy laugh before replying, “I’ll be there soon. Don’t start without me.” 

“Too late.” 

Vanessa didn’t both changing out of her pajamas, knowing Allison wouldn’t mind her choice of clothing as she walked to her parents room and whispered softly to them, “Allison’s coming over for a bit. She can’t sleep either.” 

Grunts of acknowledgement and muttered, ‘okays’ reached her ears and she sighed. The two woman had been up half the night comforting her and felt the guilt weigh down on her hard. They were already so busy and tired as it was and she only furthered their burden. This only strengthened her resolve to keep out of werewolf business until she was sure she wouldn’t fall apart. Inviting her friend over, who was from a family of hunters, was probably contradictive to that but Allison had no idea what was going on and she needed more of that right now. 

Her doorbell rang ten minutes later and when she answered, she found that her friend had also chosen to wear her pajamas as the girl wrapped her arms around her without a word. That hug was the most comforting thing she felt besides her own embraces with her moms and she was grateful at that moment to have a friend who didn’t have to say anything and just gave her a hug. 

“Come on,” Vanessa pulled back, gesturing for the girl to come inside so she could lock the door behind her, “Coffee’s waiting.” 

“Good,” Allison smiled weakly, following her into the kitchen where the drinks were waiting with steam coming off of them. The girls took their mugs and headed to the lounge room which was decked out with blankets and pillows. They took seats on the same couch, setting themselves up so they faced each other. 

“Did you sleep at all last night?” Vanessa asked kindly, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. 

She watched as her friend sighed, “Only a few hours. I woke up and it was still dark so I thought why bother? What about you?” 

The brunette shook her head, before quietly admitting, “I tried but I woke up a bit later, screaming my head off. Scared the hell out of my parents.” 

“I didn’t know you were in the jeep,” Allison began, fidgeting with her blanket as she looked at Vanessa with glassy eyes, “When I found out that you had been stuck in the back I – “ 

“It’s okay,” Vanessa said softly, reaching over to grasp her friend’s hand, “You couldn’t have known.” 

“I’m so so sorry,” Allison cried, shoulders hitching in sobs, “If I had known, I would have taken you home, I – I would’ve – “ 

“But you didn’t know and that’s okay,” she repeated before sighing, “Besides, it sounds like you lot had it worse than me. That _thing _was actually in the school with you.”__

____

Allison frowned at her, “I just can’t believe it was Derek Hale – “ 

____

“Hold up,” Vanessa interrupted, “Derek Hale?” 

____

“That’s what Scott said,” Allison replied, brows furrowing as her eyes widened, “which was a lie?” 

____

Vanessa froze up. Scott must have told everyone Derek was the one who attacked them because the last time they had seen the man, he was lying motionless on the ground. Scott must have blamed it on him, thinking he was dead. Vanessa didn’t know what to say and decided that she could only do one thing that would be ambiguous enough that Derek might be released of his charges in the future. 

____

“I don’t think it was Derek,” she whispered softly as she shook her head, leaning back into the lounge, “Scott and Stiles might have thought they saw him, but I could have sworn that Derek was the first one who was attacked in the car park. Someone rushed up behind him and before we knew it, he was thrown behind his car like he was _nothing _. After that, the boys and I scattered – me hopping into the back of the jeep and the boys heading into the school.”__

______ _ _

She tilted her head as Allison inched forward eagerly, “Whoever it was, he was strong. I heard someone rip the engine from Stiles’ jeep and throw it through a window. Derek Hale is pretty fit, I admit. But not strong enough to do that. So, unless he had an accomplice, Derek couldn’t have thrown himself and then get back up to throw around a bunch of heavy engines before chasing a bunch of kids around.” 

______ _ _

“Sarah told me about the damage. Rooves cracked and fallen down from the ceiling and broken windows. It just doesn’t make sense….” 

______ _ _

Allison shook her head, a haunted look taking place in her glassy eyes, “Everything happened so fast. It was terrifying. Whoever it was had cornered us in the science lab and we realized that the only exit was the fire escape that could be accessed on the roof. Scott volunteered to go out to get the keys off the janitors body and didn’t come back. I didn’t see him until after the police had got there.” 

______ _ _

The girl studied her, softening her eyes in concern at how tired she looked, “What was it like? Being in the jeep?” 

______ _ _

Vanessa’s head snapped towards her friend. Usually she would bite someone’s head off for asking something so invasive and insensitive, but as she processed the empathy in her friend’s face, she instead chose to answer her question. 

______ _ _

“I was petrified. I kept hearing these scaping sounds as if someone or something was outside the jeep. I tried to keep quiet, practically smothered myself to keep them from hearing me breathe. At some point, I couldn’t think straight. It was like I couldn’t move, couldn’t react, couldn’t do anything because if I moved – I thought I was going to die at any moment, and it was just a matter of _when _. I was sitting in the back of that jeep just waiting to die.”__

________ _ _ _ _

Her friend stared at her in horror, one hand over her mouth as tears welled up in eyes. The girl inched herself across the couch and pulled Vanessa into her, crying softly at what her friend had gone through. Vanessa, too, broke down, holding onto Allison tightly as they sobbed together at the fear they still felt. 

________ _ _ _ _

The two girls pulled back, still clutching each other’s hands as they wiped at their puffy eyes, laughing softly. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Sorry,” they apologized at the same time before being laughing again. 

________ _ _ _ _

“At least, you had Scott with you,” Vanessa sent the girl a wet smile, “I’m glad that you guys didn’t have to go through that alone.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“I may as well have,” Allison shook her head sadly, “I just kept thinking he was lying to me, over and over. I don’t even know why he was at the school in the first place! And then he left, and I was worried and scared, and he left us! He left _me _and I didn’t know if that would be the last time I would see him – and he just didn’t care.”__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl looked up shocked at what she revealed before rushing to apologize, “I’m sorry, I know he’s your best friend and – “ 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa placed a hand on the dark-haired girls shoulder, “Hey, you’re my friend too. I understand what you mean. Despite the fact Scott thought he was doing what was best, he ultimately left you scared at a time when you need him the most. And that’s okay to feel angry.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I told him not to call me,” Allison whispered, hanging her head, “I think I told him I wanted a break.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do you need a break?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl thought about it for a moment before slowly nodding her head, “Yeah, I think I do. I need to get back to a place where I’m not scared and can feel like I can put my trust in him again.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Then he’s got to respect that and be patient,” Vanessa declared, holding her friend’s hand tightly, “Scott cares about you. I even think he’s kind of fallen for you. So, he will wait. For as long as you need.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You think so?” Allison looked at her with hopeful eyes. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa scoffed with an easiness she didn’t possess and waved her hand, “He better. You’re one in a million, Allie.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allie?” the girl asked with a brow raised, “Huh, I kind of like it.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, good,” Vanessa sighed in relief, clutching her chest, “Because if you didn’t, it would’ve been awkward.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two girls laughed and though they didn’t feel as happy as they sounded, they thought the conversation was a step in the right direction to feeling at peace with themselves and with their friends. They talked, cried and hugged some more before the clock struck nine and Allison’s phone started ringing. The girl cringed as she held up her phone to show it was her dad and that she should head home. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa walked her friend to her car, the two sharing another hug before Allison hopped in and reversed out into the street, waving goodbye as she drove away. When Vanessa made her way back inside, she found her mothers’ sitting on the couch the two girls vacated with serious expressions on their face as they turned to her. Wordlessly, Vanessa took a seat in the middle of them. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I take it you heard,” she stated, crossing her legs as she covered herself with her blanket. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We did,” Sarah began, rubbing her daughter’s arm in reassurance as she continued, “But we – I mean I, needed to talk to you about one specific thing you said.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The part about how I don’t think Derek Hale was the one who attack us?” she guessed, leaning back into the lounge, “Sarah, you’re a deputy. I wouldn’t expect you to avoid asking me questions – especially if they could help prevent something like this from happening again.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lisa kissed her forehead, proud of her daughter for being so mature as Sarah smiled sadly, “I know you wouldn’t, kiddo. You’re too smart for your age.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa’s lips quirked up, flickering her eyes up to meet her mother’s. “So I’ve heard.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The deputy cleared her throat, changing her stance from loving mother to a serious officer of the law who needed to ask the witness questions to aid in their investigation as she reached into her pocket to pull out a tape recorder, “Can you tell me what happened, in your own words?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl breathed in deep before beginning, “Last night, I got a call from Scott and Stiles telling me to meet them at the front. They picked me up and drove me to the school for a reason that they didn’t share with me. An acquaintance of ours, Derek Hale, arrived seconds later with Doctor Deaton in the back seat, beaten up and tied in the back.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed internally, not wanting Derek to get in trouble because he beat up the wrong guy but having no choice but to tell the truth as close as she could, “The boys and me questioned him about it, getting slightly nervous about the man when something rushed out from the dark. The person, or thing, came up behind Derek, throwing him aside like a rag doll before turning their attention on us. Everything happened so fast that I didn’t get a good look at whoever it was before I made for the jeep. The boys ran inside, and I didn’t see anything else.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You said that you didn’t think Derek could have been the one who chased the kids at the school,” Sarah pointed out, “Could you explain why you thought that?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because the last time I saw Derek, he looked like he wasn’t moving. He was thrown into the air and behind his car and before I hopped into the jeep, I thought he was dead because he was so still. And, unless he had an accomplice who he arranged to have throw him around, it doesn’t explain who the other guy was.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Now, Vanessa, was there anything that you heard or noticed that might be important?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“A few things,” she started, thinking carefully about what she was going to say, “I didn’t see the guy clearly, but he was tall and strong, strong enough to life a grown man and toss him around. He was also strong enough to rip out the engine of Stiles jeep and throw it through a window more than twenty feet away.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Anything else?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s all.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sarah switched off the recording device before taking the girl into her arms and murmuring, “I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to do that.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s okay,” Vanessa reassured softly, feeling like she had repeated that phrase too many times that morning, “I wish I didn’t leave the house last night.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two women cuddled her close, both hating that their daughter felt like that. That their daughter got caught up in a situation that should have never happened to her or her friends. Vanessa held onto them tightly, relishing in the warmth and safety the two offered. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The doorbell rang again, causing the three to separate as Lisa chimed in, “Maybe it’s the mailman? The mailbox has a wasp nest in it, so I put a sign telling him to come to the door.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa frowned at the blonde woman, “How long has it been in there for? Because I got the mail just yesterday before the boys picked me up.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Since last week.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Great,” she said sarcastically, getting up and making to climb the stairs, “I could have gotten stung!” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But you didn’t and that’s what really counts!” Lisa, ever the optimist, smiled as she went to open the door. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa was halfway up when a familiar voice caught her ears, causing her to stumble on a step in shock. She blinked over her shoulders, eyes catching the tall figure standing in her doorway with a bookbag hanging off one shoulder. Isaac Lahey stared back, eyes widening as he took in the fact she was still in her pajamas. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We did agree to study today right?” he asked nervously, eyes flickering from the two women smirking at him to the girl crouched over the stairs, “Today is Thursday right?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Right,” Sarah drawled before twirling to look at her stunned daughter, “Is today still good?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa caught the look in her mother’s eyes, the one that asked silently if she was up for having another guest over today. The girl stared at the boy in awe as her cheeks began to redden, realizing she had been staring like a dumbass for some time now. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yep,” she grinned uneasily, shooting up a thumbs up before straightening, “Just let me go take a shower and I’ll be with you in a minute.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The brunette hastily climbed the stairs as she heard Sarah tell Isaac to make himself at home, quickly picking up some sweatpants and a loose, breezy top before running to the bathroom and shutting the door, her heart beating fast.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Is everything okay?” Isaac asked nervously, eyes trained on where the brown-haired girl disappeared upstairs, “she didn’t seem like she was prepared to study today?” 

The brown-haired woman by the name of Sarah sank down onto the kitchen stool, sighing with a forlon look on her face as she stared up at him, “You haven’t heard yet, I take it?” 

“Heard what?” he shook his head, brows furrowed in concern, “Is everything okay?” 

He had heard that the school had been declared closed for the rest of the week but not why. He didn’t think much of it, instead taking advantage of the extra days to study and catch up on his grade. Because he knew the girl was behind in psychology, he thought he might come earlier to tutor her and to take advantage of her quiet and comfortable home to catch up on his chemistry while he was there. 

As well as catching up with the girl in particular. 

He dismissed the intrusive thought before turning to the two women, his attention focused on what he was missing out on. 

Sarah shook her head, “There was an incident at the high school last night. Vanessa and her friends were attacked by someone, supposedly a man by the name of Derek Hale. Her friends were hiding out in the school when we got there but Vanessa had been trapped in the back of her friend’s jeep the whole time with guy running loose outside.” 

Isaac inhaled sharply, eyes darting up to the second floor, “Was she hurt? Is she okay? Should I go?” 

He imagined Vanessa, small, bright eyes Vanessa, trapped in that jeep for hours. Scared. Alone. Wondering if she was ever going to be let out. His heart clenched at the thought of the girl going through something like that, knowing how scared she was on Tuesday when the incident with the Sheriff getting hurt and the mountain lion being gunned down occurred. He remembered those bright blue eyes welling up in tears as she struggled to breathe, small hands clutching on his arms as she gasped for air. That night, he never wanted to see her like that again, but now he wished he had been there this one time to hold her so that she knew she wasn’t alone. 

The blonde woman, Lisa, came forward from where she was making herself tea, putting a hand on his shoulder and smiling reassuringly, “Nessa is gonna be okay. She’s still quiet shaken up but if she says you can stay, you can stay. Besides, she could use a distraction to take her mind off of last night.” 

“Right,” he nodded, eyes set in determination. 

He would make sure she was okay. He would keep her mind busy with jokes and laughter, notes and quizzes and make sure she didn’t wander back to that dark place he knew all too well. That girl won’t end up like him, gasping out in fear when she was caught up in every dark space, haunted by a place that she had escaped from. Because unlike him, she would never have to be trapped like that again. And unlike him, she was strong enough to walk away with a straight back and a loud heart – like the usual, fierce Vanessa he found himself crushing on since eighth grade.


	18. Think of Colours (Blue Like You're Eyes)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl’s head whipped around, eyes darting as if she was looking for something that wasn’t there. She pushed herself back until the back of her head hit the desk, hot tears appearing at the corner of her eyes. The boy beside her slid his hand underneath her hand, brushing against her lips before forcing it away from her as he repeated, “Breathe, Nessa. _Breathe for me. _”__
> 
> __
> 
> __She whimpered in fear, stuttering out, “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. He’s here – he’ll find me.”_ _
> 
> __
> 
> __Isaac shook his head, pressing against her shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her tremoring body and pulled her against him, cupping her face so that she faced him, “Nessa, you’re in your bedroom. You’re with me. You’re not there. He’s not out there. You’re with me. You’re safe.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- 'Give Me Love' by Ed Sheeran started playing when I was editing the end of the chapter and I thought it was very appropriate for the scene where he was watching her sleep and when he was getting ready to go home.  
> \- I hope everybody enjoyed Isaac's perspective and if you wanted to leave me a comment to let me know what you thought of it, if it was a bit OCC or you thought it was pretty good, that'd be great.

She walked out of the shower feeling refreshed but feeling no calmer than she did when she walked in. How could she? The boy who unknowingly kept her sane through one of the most terrifying nights of her life was in her bedroom, waiting for her to finish her shower so he could help her study. Throwing her hair up into a messy bun, she walked into her room, sighting the tall boy sitting on what was becoming his designated spot on the floor. Isaac lifted his head and she could tell by the way his eyes searched her own, brows furrowed and shoulders tense, that he knew what had happened last night. 

Vanessa sighed, sitting down across from him and stretching her legs out beside his as she said, “You know then?” 

He hesitated before nodding, head dropping sheepishly, “Sarah told me. I didn’t know.” 

She waved her hand at him, “You wouldn’t. It only happened about twelve hours ago so no one should know about it yet.” 

“How are you holding up?” he asked softly, looking at her like he wasn’t just asking to be nice but because he really wanted to know. 

“If I’m being honest,” she began, eyes fixed on her lap, “I’m still really scared. And I think I’m going to be scared for a while.” 

“And that’s okay,” he told her, nodding in reassurance as she glanced up in surprise, “It’s okay to feel scared. After what your mom told me you went through, I would be too.” 

Vanessa didn’t know what to say. She expected, ‘ _don’t be scared _’ or ‘ _why are you scared _?’ but instead he made her feel like she had every right to feel that way. He didn’t make her feel like she was overreacting or that she was being stupid. He understood and she realized why. She had realized on Tuesday night that his home life was a volatile one, where he could possibly be abused in a way that went beyond physical. Her eyes flashed to his nails, which were covered with band aids, and returned her gaze to meet his. Isaac knew about being scared, even when he wasn’t being hurt or being trapped.____

_____ _

“Thank you,” she murmured quietly, scooting forward so that she could lean in to whisper to him, “Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer – God, knows I wouldn’t answer me.” 

_____ _

“Yes,” he replied without hesitation, “You can ask me anything.” 

_____ _

She nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat, “How do you do it?” 

_____ _

“How do I do what?” 

_____ _

“How do you deal with the fear?” Vanessa asked, eyes searching for the answer, “How do you go to school? Play lacrosse? Study with friends when it’s there _all the time _?”__

_______ _ _ _

Isaac looked away from her for a moment, shoulders tensing. She assumed it was because he wasn’t used to someone knowing about went on at home. The girl eased herself back, prepared to move on and change the subject so she didn’t make him even more uncomfortable when his soft murmur drifted back to her. 

_______ _ _ _

“I think about it all the time,” he admitted reluctantly, clutching his exercise book, “Everything I do goes back to him. My grades, my position during games – it’s all watched by him and if he doesn’t like what he sees, I get it. The only reason I’m not cowering in a corner everytime someone moves towards me is because I focus on other, more calmer things.” 

_______ _ _ _

“Like what?” 

_______ _ _ _

He looked at her than and she felt her heart race faster at the expression on his face. She couldn’t place it, not exactly because he could have been thinking about anything at that one moment but for some selfish reason, she hoped he said that he liked to think about her. But that was just stupid. If boys thought about her all the time, they’d be caught between pissing themselves in fear or fainting on the spot from how drop dead gorgeous she was. Okay, that was a joke but in all seriousness, his look was starting to do things to her as sweat pooled in her palms and her tongue flicked out to lick nervously at her lips. 

_______ _ _ _

Isaac shook his head out of his deep thoughts, clearing his throat as he smiled uneasily, “Colour, for one thing.” 

_______ _ _ _

“ _Colour _?” she repeated, an eyebrow quirked as the boy nodded.__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I focus on colours,” he smiled faintly as he watched her mouth the word to herself quizzically. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Why colours?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Because usually there’s always something colourful you can see. The yellow of a light bulb when you turn a light switch on, the sky when you look up or the grass when you look down.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“What about,” Vanessa interrupted, her voice merely above a whisper as she asked, “when you’re somewhere that’s dark? Where there isn’t anything colourful to look at?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac’s eyes dulled, the same haunted look she had been wearing since last night now being worn on a face that was as familiar with the look as it was with its reflection, “Then you have to close your eyes and breathe. Breathe and think about the brightest colour you have seen in your life.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“What do you think about?” she asked curiously. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

He gave her the same look as he did before and without hesitation, answered, “Blue. Light blue.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

She swallowed as the room got warm, mustering up a dry smile as she commented, “You must really love the sky than.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The boy blinked at her before getting that she was trying to make a joke, giving her his own little smile before replying, “Seems like, doesn’t it?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa blushed, getting to her knees and crawling over to her desk where her psychology book was. She pulled it over her lap and began working on what they had been covering last lesson. She smiled to herself, the familiar terms of aggression and conflict that Isaac taught her coming to mind. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The boy had unknowingly helped her figure out the key to finding out the Alpha’s identity and had effectively dismissed Deaton as being the mysterious wolf from her mind. When she spoke to the kind doctor, he didn’t come across as angry. The Alpha wolf was violent, furious and out for revenge – willing to kill anyone to get to his victim which explained the janitor at the high-school that was claimed to have been found dead by Scott. Apparently, according to Sarah, they had yet to find a body. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Which was interesting because why would the Alpha care to make this body disappear? He didn’t care about leaving all the others around for the Sheriff’s department to find them. He made a big show of leaving his kills for others to find, to promote mass hysteria – so what was the point? Were those just displays of his prowess? His power? Then why take the janitor? 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Secretly, she knew the answer lay with her two best friends who had actually came face to face with the creature, specifically Scott but the very thought of being near them and possibly tracking the thing down made her freeze up, hand shaking as she flipped the page of her book. The silence in the room was getting to her, too alike to last night’s deadly quiet. Instinctively, she began holding her breathe, holding a hand over her mouth as her eyes widened. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The boy across from her was watching the sudden change and quickly threw his books aside to scramble over to her. The girl was holding onto her throat with one hand and her mouth with the other as she stared up at him fearfully. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa,” he exclaimed, voice coming out raspy as he grabbed her wrist from where it clutched her neck, “Vanessa, take your hand off your throat.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

She shook her head frantically, fighting against him as he ripped the hand from her neck and held it away from her as she pressed the one against her mouth so it blocked her nose. Isaac shuffled closer so that he sat beside her, whispering in her ear as calmly as he could despite the panic he felt rising within him. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa. Vanessa. Nessa, breathe. _Breathe for me _, please.”__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl’s head whipped around, eyes darting as if she was looking for something that wasn’t there. She pushed herself back until the back of her head hit the desk, hot tears appearing at the corner of her eyes. The boy beside her slid his hand underneath her hand, brushing against her lips before forcing it away from her as he repeated, “Breathe, Nessa. _Breathe for me _.”__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She whimpered in fear, stuttering out, “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. He’s here – he’ll find me.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac shook his head, pressing against her shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her tremoring body and pulled her against him, cupping her face so that she faced him, “Nessa, you’re in your bedroom. You’re with me. You’re not there. He’s not out there. You’re with me. You’re safe.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He repeated this to her, softly against her ear as her eyes stared into his, searching for the truth within them. He placed one of her hands against his chest, deju vu hitting them both as he said, “Breathe with me. Breathe with me, Ness.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl followed his directions, taking long breaths in and out, never taking her eyes off his as they breathed together until her heartbeat died down alongside the fear in her eyes. Instead, it was replaced with shame as she lost eye contact, tears rushing down her cheek as she whispered, “Sorry, I’m so, so sorry.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked frowning, pulling back to see her clearly. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“For freaking out on you. For literally choking myself in front of you.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa,” he called quietly, clutching the hand that laid against his chest tightly, “Nessa, you never have to apologize for that. Never.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She looked up to see if he was telling the truth and saw nothing but sincerity as he gazed down at her with soft eyes. She buried her face into his neck and held onto him tightly, her words muffled slightly as she whispered, “Thank you.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Any time,” he replied, the smile in his voice obvious as he tightened his arms around her before pulling back to brush a strand of hair that came loose from her bun behind her ears, “How about we watch a movie for a bit? You’re too stressed to do homework and you need something that won’t set you up?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really? You won’t mind?” she questioned, brows furrowed in concern as she looked up at him, “Don’t you need to study?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think I have the hang of it,” he replied nonchalantly before shrugging, “Taking a break won’t matter.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay,” she nodded, getting up on wobbly legs and hobbling to the lounge. Isaac sat down beside her as she turned on her TV to her favorite program where Scooby Doo was playing. She made herself comfortable, stretching out her legs – which just so happened so be across Isaac’s lap. Vanessa hadn’t realized because of the blanket beneath her until she looked across at him. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh shit, sorry,” she apologized, moving to curl her legs under them when he stopped her, dragging them back where she had them. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s fine,” he replied, smiling sheepishly with one hand on her knee, “Your room, your couch, your chill out time.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She shrugged, smirking at his red cheeks as she replied, “Alright but don’t complain to me when your leg’s asleep.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa watched out of the corner of her eye as the boy shook his head, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like, _that’s my girl’ _. She dismissed the ridiculous thought, but it did nothing to prevent her own cheeks from reddening as she laid down to watch Scooby and Shaggy run away from a monster in a wolf costume, heart darkening in irony.__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Unbeknownst to her, Isaac had spent the whole show watching the girl sprawled across the couch, eyes fluttering open and shut as exhaustion clawed at them. He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes and they way they stared in a daze. Lack of sleep was nothing new to him, but it sure looked better on her than it did on him. Even sleep deprived and puffy eyed, Vanessa would always look beautiful to him. Despite how scared she was, her heart was strong enough to make her smile. He remembered seeing her in class, all fiery and quick-witted, a smirk on her lips and a fire in her eyes that was never quelled no matter how many detentions she got and how many times people yelled at her. 

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He had been in her classes for a while, but he knew that she had never noticed him, always lost in a world that seemed unreachable to him. He knew she didn’t have many friends – only Scott and Stiles from his lacrosse team and a shy blonde girl named Erica but that seemed to be changing as he saw the brunette frequently holding conversations with the new girl Allison Argent and even sitting with Lydia Martin’s crew during lunch times. He shook his head silently as she closed her eyes, shuffling back into the couch as sleep overcame her finally. He knew he should probably get up and leave at that point, knowing it was kind of creepy to watch someone sleep but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

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Isaac reasoned that it was because he wanted to make sure she wouldn’t descend into another nightmare that had her holding her breathe to the point she would pass out – and while that was half true – he knew it was because he treasured any moment he had with her. Every class, every chance he got to hear her laugh and to see her smile, was as beautiful to him as the colours he claimed he thought about in the midst of his father’s punishments. Truthfully, the only colour he could think of was blue, the same sky blue of Vanessa’s eyes. Even with how he felt about her, the mere memory of the girl could only hold back his fear for so long until he succumbed to it – and he felt ashamed of that weakness. 

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That’s why she could never know how he felt. He wasn’t strong enough for her, not when he couldn’t stand up to his dad or to anyone else for that matter. She didn’t deserve someone who cowered when he was being yelled at. She deserved the same fire she lit inside of him every single day he shared with her. And until he found some way to emulate her fierce spirit, he would be her friend. He would help her with psychology and hold her when she cried, bringing her back in the midst of a nightmare but he would never go further than that. 

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The girl shifted in her sleep, brows furrowing slightly before they smoothed out. Isaac watched this with wide eyes and wondered silently how long he would be able to keep that promise for. 

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The door to the bedroom creaked open, breaking him from his thoughts as Lisa peeked her head around, smiling softly at the sight of the two teenagers. Isaac looked up as she came to stand beside the arm of the lounge. 

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“How long has she been asleep?” the blonde woman whispered, softly gazing at her daughter. 

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“About fifteen minutes now,” he whispered back before going to carefully slide out under the sleeping girl, “I’m going to head out now, if that’s okay?” 

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“Of course,” she replied, following him out after he quickly packed up his stuff, stopping only to leave a message on her desk for her. The older woman stopped him as he made to walk down the stairs, leaning in to tell him, “Listen, sweetheart, we heard what happened in there. Thank you for helping her calm down. It seems like you make her feel safe enough to come down from her panic attack.” 

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“It’s no problem. I’m happy to help her,” he answered, not helping himself as his eyes softened at the bedroom door that was between him and the girl he cared for, “I’m happy I make her feel safe.” 

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“You know,” Lisa began, a small smile on her lips, “You’re always welcome to come around. Whenever you want. Especially if you find you have nowhere to go or nothing to do. You don’t even need to ring first. You do know that right honey?” 

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The boy’s eyes widened. He already heard this the first time he came by to tutor Vanessa but to hear he was so welcome made his heart warm as he nodded in bewilderment. Lisa chuckled quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder as she led him down the stairs, “You’re such a good kid. Why can’t all boys your age be like you?” 

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He laughed nervously, shrugging as he had no clue how to answer that. The older lady was soon joined by her wife, who wrapped an arm around the blonde woman’s waist as she replied cheekily, “He’s being modest, Lisa. So cute.” 

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Lisa rolled her eyes, untangling herself from her partner’s arms with a loving smile as she opened the door for him, “Remember. Any time, day or night. We have a spare room that we’re converting into a guest room and it’s all yours if you ever need it.” 

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“That’s very kind,” the boy said quietly with longing eyes and blushing cheeks, “I wish I could take you up on it.” 

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“No pressure, kid,” Sarah leaned against the door, boring into him with a serious face, “The offers there anytime. No expiry dates. Just keep doing right by our little girl and being a genuinely nice guy, and you will always have a place at our home.” 

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Isaac nodded once more, a small smile playing on his face as he said goodbye before making his way down the driveway, turning around only to look at the window of her bedroom and wishing her a good sleep. God knows he wouldn’t be getting one tonight if his father had anything to say about it.

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	19. Chinese Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School is opened again and everybody just wants to play Chinese Whispers with a traumatizing night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I presumed that since Beacon Hills has no problem letting children come onto crime scenes as they please, their whole 'Confidentiality about Minors' law couldn't be that strong. And there has to be more than two sets of parents in the Sheriff's department so when there are some people saying they heard from their parents, their parents are probably cops.
> 
> \- Songs that I thought were pretty good for this chapters was:  
> \- Animal by Neon Trees  
> \- All Out Of Love by Air Supply  
> \- Piece of Me by Britney Spears

_**“A local janitor who worked at Beacon Hills High School was reported being found dead late Wednesday night, but deputies have yet to actually find the body. After being closed both Thursday and Friday, Beacon Hills High is now open once more so students, the short break is now over, and it is time to hit the books – “** _

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Vanessa quickly switched the station to a popular music one where _Animals _by Neon Trees was playing. Drawing energy from the upbeat song, the girl pushed back all her anxiety about what the day would bring and hopped over to her closet, going straight to the clothes she wore when she wanted to feel strong and confident. Grabbing out a leather jacket and skin-tight jeans, her head swung between a scoop neck black top that clung to her torso or a white shirt that showed the skin at her waist when she stretched her arms. She chose the scoop neck and threw on the outfit, bending down to pick up a pair of combat boots from further in her closet.__

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It had been four days since the night the Alpha had attacked them and chased her friends through the school. Four days since she had seen Derek, who apparently had survived his wounds and was now on the run from the Sheriff’s department. Four days of ignoring phone calls from people whose names started with ‘S’ and bunking down into her house, only leaving to go running around the block with Sarah and Lisa in the mornings since she was already up at that time. 

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Because it had been four days since she had gotten a goodnight sleep – not including Thursday afternoon when she passed out on her couch with her legs sprawled over a certain tall boy who played lacrosse and who had a habit of saving her from herself. She had woken up early the next morning to find a note on her desk telling her he hoped she had a goodnight sleep and if she needed anyone to talk to he would be there for her. Which led her to her next revelation – _what the fuck was she supposed to do with Isaac Lahey’s number?_

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Of course, the most logical thing would be to call it every so often when she wanted to talk – _like he had left it for, dumbass _– but every time she dialled the number into her phone, she found herself getting red in the face and licking her lips nervously like some kind of freak. So instead, the girl decided to just pull it out of her drawer and stare at it, marvelling at the piece of paper. There was no need to talk to anyone to feel better when the mere sight of the sticky note made her smile.__

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Although, that didn’t change the fact she had been waking up at ungodly hours in the night – or morning if you considered anything after twelve the morning _(like normal people) _– gasping out for air, eyes searching the dark for a monster that she hadn’t heard reports about until that morning. Two bodies had been found, presumably killed on Sunday night. She sent a message to Derek advising him to check out the identities of the two men if he had time – because she knew a fugitive kind of had a busy schedule with running from the law and all. And this fugitive was also a werewolf, meaning he also had to evade hunters as well which meant the man would probably take a while before he got back to her.__

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“Nessa!” she heard Lisa call out from downstairs, keys jangling, “We’re ready when you are.” 

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“Coming – just give me a sec,” Vanessa shouted back, picking up her purse and throwing her books in it hurriedly. 

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“Take your time,” Sarah reassured her. 

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The two women had agreed that they would be driving her to school, at least for the first day back there, to make sure their daughter didn’t have a problem with it. They knew that anxiety attacks could be triggered by almost anything after a traumatic event and if the school itself was enough to send their daughter into an attack, they would be ready to high tail it out of there with the insistence the girl would work from home and would have her friends give her homework. 

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Vanessa was almost tempted to just call it quits right there and then but she knew that if she didn’t face her fears, she would let them rule her. And **nothing** ruled over Vanessa O’Connor. It just wasn’t in the laws of nature. The girl walked down the stairs, taking deep breaths as she made it out the front door and approached the waiting women in the squad car. Hopping in, she sighed as she came face to face with two concerned expressions that searched for any sign that she was going to break. 

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The girl gave them a dry, humourless smile, shaking her head, “I’m all good.” 

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Sarah nodded, stern and serious as she pulled out of the driveway and down the road leaving Lisa to watch their daughter carefully. The girl in question honestly didn’t mind their acts of caution, the nice feeling of being taken care of and having people looking out for her overriding any annoyance their attentiveness might have stirred within her. She leaned her against the window and watched the trees fly by, earphones in her ears and playing a soft song that soothed her soul and reminded her of a certain boy that made her heart flutter and her mind wander to nicer places, places tinged in blue and the feeling of safety. 

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Too soon, the car parked at the front of the school and Vanessa tried not to think of it as being the place that she thought she would die in only four days ago but rather as what it really was – a place to drop of kids, to park your cars. She took a long, deep breathe before releasing it, hands pulling at the door handle and pushing it open. 

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_One foot out. Another foot out. Lift yourself out, Nessa. That’s it, you can get out of **this** car._

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Once she had found her footing, she turned towards the two ladies whose heads were practically sticking out of the car as they looked at her, waiting for something. Internally rolling her eyes, she sent them a reassuring smile as she said, “I’m okay. I’ll be fine. I’ll call you if I feel otherwise at any point of the day.” 

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“ _Any point _,” Sarah repeated, pointing a finger at the girl warningly, “Call us. At _any _point. Including Mr. Harris’s class. If he tells you to put it away or takes it off you, I don’t care what you have to do to get it back – get it back and call us.”____

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“I’m sure it won’t come to that, honey,” Lisa smiled gently at her wife before blowing a kiss to her daughter, “Have a good day at school, baby girl! We love you and we will see you this afternoon, okay?” 

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“I love you guys too,” Vanessa grinned back, waving them off as they pulled back out and drove down the street. 

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The girl sighed, finally revealing that the dark memories of that night were not as distant as she was making them out to be and turned to face the doors. In her mind, the windows from beside them had a huge gaping hole. In reality, they had yellow police tape crisscrossed over them, seemingly halfway fixed. She jutted out her chin before walking forward, leaving on earphone in her ear that played the opening to Britney Spear’s _Piece of me _, determined that it was going to be a normal school day that would be over and done with before she knew it.__

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But as she walked through the doors, facing whispers and mocking laughter, stares from all directions, she knew that it wouldn’t be a normal day. Not by a fucking long shot. What confused her though was what was so funny about her, so damn fascinating that she drew eyes as she walked down the hall towards her locker when she caught onto the first whisper of that day. 

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“I know! I heard she hid out there all night while Lydia and the others were running for their lives!” 

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Her head cocked in the direction the whisper came from when another one reached her ears. 

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“I heard that she left her friends and she was found trying to hotwire a car out of the parking lot!” 

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Vanessa’s mouth dropped open at the blatant lie, catching someone’s eye as she walked past who was leaning over to their friend, their whispering more disparaging as they sneered at her. 

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“I heard she even told the guy to let her live and to go after her friends instead.” 

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The girl spun around, whispers reaching her and seemingly not stopping any time soon. Each hushed comment, every lie and insult hurdled at her was more hurtful and exaggerated than the last as she sped past her locker, the bell ringing for homeroom. 

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As she burst through the door and took her seat, people filed in and saw her. She expected now that they were going to be sitting in the same room as her for ten minutes, they wouldn’t talk about her behind her back like in the hall. The thing with people though is that they’re fucking pricks who don’t give a damn if you hear them talk shit, as long as someone else was listening and believing it. 

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“What a pussy! She just ran away? Did she even try to call the police?” 

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“And tell her mommy she was out past her bedtime? I don’t think so!” 

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“Coward.” 

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“God, I hope Lydia and all that are okay. Shame they didn’t hang out with better friends.” 

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“So, what? She hid the whole time? Did she try getting help?” 

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“My parents heard she was hiding in the back of her friend’s car and that she was out there for so long, she pissed herself!” 

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The room spun on her, like a record playing out a song of never ending lies and rumors from people who used to laugh at her jokes and say hi to her in the hall. She felt her skin grow hot and knew that her face betrayed how humiliated she was. Angry hot tears welled up in her eyes as she swallowed back harsh sobs that threatened to break out, instead keeping them down with gritted teeth as she stared forward at her desk. But even her vision started to go hazy and fogged up, like someone had breathed against a window. She curled her fingers to make tight fists around her desk and glanced behind her, looking for a friend. 

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Erica leaned forward on her desk, staring at her with concerned eyes. The blonde’s head kept turning from a person with a new rumour to add to the mill and back to her friend who was about to break down in her seat right then and there. As the girl’s brown eyes grew wide, fixed on something that had appeared in front of her, Vanessa turned and prepared for Harris or someone with equal asshole status. What she was not prepared for was Isaac Lahey staring down at her with soft eyes as he crouched in front of her. His eyes darted to someone who had ran with the peed herself rumor and turned it into a full fucking story that made her sound even more like an Eichen house escapee than she felt. 

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That was the last straw. 

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Harris had just called the class to attention when Vanessa jumped up and bolting straight out of homeroom, heading for the nearest safe place she could shut herself in and break down. The janitor’s closet happened to be that place as she opened it up and slammed the door behind her, plunging her into darkness. Not her brightest idea at the time – having developed a fear of the dark and all – but at least the dark gave her leave to cry, to feel fear and anger and everything a classroom would deny her. She breathed heavily, shame coiling around her chest like a serpent squeezing it’s prey. Images flashed in her mind, acting as reasons why she should just stay there, should’ve just stayed in the back of Stiles’ jeep and never left. 

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_Deep set blue eyes gazing down at her in concern._

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_Head tilted as he listened to malicious whispers._

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_“I heard that she had not only peed herself, she was found completely catatonic, lying in her own piss and seizing. As if it’s not disgusting enough that she tried to give her friend’s up to the psycho, she even tried to play it off like she was the victim! What a twisted bitch? Her and that psycho Derek Hale deserve each other!”_

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Sobs heaved out of her, mouth opening in screams she couldn’t let out. Her fingers shook as they slide to her pockets, trying to find her phone so she could get a ride out of this hell she walked into and remembered that her phone was still in her bag, which she left back in the pit of lies she escaped from. She was truly trapped, with nowhere to go and seemingly no one to turn to. Her head hit the back of the door she leaned against, snarling in a mix of anger and pain as she fell apart in a dead man’s closet. 

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A knock on the door caused her to jump and scurry back into the shelving as a familiar, feminine voice called out to her through the wood, “Nessa, are you okay?” 

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A broken cry was her only reply as she shrunk in on herself, settling down into the darkest corner of the closet and turning her back to the door. Vanessa faintly heard the sound of two people talking but only one pair of footsteps walking away as the door creaked open. She froze up at the sound, hand going instinctively to cover her mouth. 

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“Vanessa?” a voice called out, this time male and heartbreakingly familiar as the owner of the voice walked into the closet to find the girl shivering in a corner, hand raised and disappearing to the front of her face which he couldn’t see.

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	20. Broken Bones, Promises and Hearts.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa breaks another one of her promises, boys and girls. But she breaks them for others, not for herself and that is what counts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy Isaac Lahey and how dreamy he is because I know I will ;)

Isaac Lahey had heard the rumours as soon as he had walked into school that morning and his eyes had searched for the girl featured in them, fingers clenched in fist that he knew deep down he didn’t possess the courage to throw around at whoever made up such malicious lies about the girl he cared about. He knew his best bet was to go straight to homeroom because Vanessa would have to end up there sooner or later. And that’s where he found her, looking like her world was collapsing around her as she stared down at her desk with tears she didn’t even know were falling. 

He had leaned down with the intention of asking if she was okay, trying to see if she would need help getting through another anxiety attack when her head had whipped up and met his eyes with such hurt that knocked the air out of him. Before he could tell her that those people were lying, tell her that he didn’t believe them, she had ran - not able to sit there any longer. He couldn’t blame her, having sent a glare back at the rest of the class. He wasn’t known as a particularly violent or threatening guy – unless you considered body checking people in lacrosse _violent _– but he was still a tall guy that stood over a majority of the people in their year and the look he had levelled on the liars was one of malice that was received as such. They had shut their mouths, leaning back in fear at the usually quiet boy giving them looks of murder.__

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He had thought, maybe _just maybe _, he might have actually had the balls to stand up and confront them. Call them out on tormenting an already traumatized girl, relishing in her fear and humiliation. Call them out for being liars who had nothing better to do but make others feel like shit. He had felt the anger build up within him until someone had tapped his arm. He had spun around to face a short blonde girl by the name of Erica. He shared a couple of classes with the girl and knew her as one of Vanessa’s best friends.__

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“Come on,” the girl had whispered softly to him, pulling him out of the class and down the hallway to where the janitor’s closet stood. 

______ _ _

He had waited patiently as Erica knocked on the door, calling out to her best friend. They had heard heart-wrenching sobs from inside in response. Erica had ran a hand through her hair, looking back at the class they vacated as if she was physically torn between making sure they didn’t get into trouble and making sure her friend was okay when Isaac had put a hand on her shoulder, offering to stay with the girl while the blonde returned to class to get their stuff. 

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Now, having gone into the closet to comfort the girl who held his heart in her small, gentle hands, he felt like he should have been the one to go back to the class - to murder the people that rendered such a strong and fiery girl into such a small and desolate creature. Rocking herself with arms wrapped tightly around her, Vanessa had her eyes – bright, beautiful blue eyes that captured his soul – shut tight as she cried. The boy sank to his knees beside her, finding her hand and slipping it into his as he whispered. 

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“Hey, hey, hey. Those people are _liars _. They are liars who don’t know what they’re talking about. They would have done the _exact same thing _as you did if they were in your shoes. I bet most of them would react even worse, probably _actually _pissing themselves – “______

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The girl cried harder at that, clearly having been hurt by that particular comment which caused the boy to rush to reassure her, “No one _actually _thinks you did that, Vanessa. Only an idiot would think that someone as strong and brave as you would break like that.”__

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Her sobs halted – _thank God, for his heart was breaking just listening to them _– and he heard her sniffle as she whispered, “You think I’m brave?”__

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Isaac let out a breathless laugh, settling back against the metal shelf still holding her hand as he looked at her, “Are you kidding me? I think you’re the bravest person I’ve ever met!” 

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Vanessa scoffed, not believing his words as she retorted, “So brave that I ran out of there crying like that.” 

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“Hey,” he interrupted her, pulling her hand close to his chest as he waited for her to meet his eyes before saying, “That **was** brave. Anyone else would have sat there the whole time, too afraid to show what they were feeling but not you. You had the courage to show that they what they were saying hurt. You had the courage to get yourself away from a situation that was eating you up alive. You didn’t sit there and let them slander your name. You got out of there and showed them that you weren’t going to listen to their shit.” 

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He drew her closer before wrapping her into a hug, whispering in awe as he said, “That was the bravest thing I think I’ve ever seen you do.” 

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Vanessa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This boy, this boy who faced terror just by going home, who faced fears when he got up in the morning and got home in the afternoon, thought _she _was the bravest person he knew. And it gripped her by the soul and made her want to see herself like that. Like the way he saw her.__

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Her arms came around his neck as she buried her head in shoulder, half-laughing and half-sobbing into his shirt at the catharsis he gave her. The freedom to cry, to feel upset, to feel anything when all her life she was told to pick herself up, get back on her feet and keep walking. Even her mothers were only there so often and found themselves not knowing how to approach her when she was like this. Isaac Lahey had now seen her break three times, and all three times he had known exactly what to give her to make her feel okay again. 

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He gave her the freedom to break into a million pieces and for that to be okay, because he was happy to pick them back up and help her put herself together again. 

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“Thank you,” she murmured into his ear, placing a soft kiss on his cheek before pulling back, “For picking me back up.” 

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“Anytime,” he whispered, staring at her star-struck, hand hovering over his cheek before beginning to stammer nervously, lips quirking up as he joked, “But we should probably get out of here before someone sees the open door and decides to lock us in here. Then you would be the one having to comfort me.” 

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Vanessa frowned at him, eyes narrowing at the way his jaw clenched and eyes darted with genuine nervousness at the prospect of the door closing on them. 

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“Why?” she asked him, watching as his eyes fixed on hers with panic as he realized what he said. 

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The boy ran a hand through his hair, looking away from her suddenly as he admitted stuttering, “I don’t do well in small space.” 

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“You have claustrophobia?” her eyes widened in realization as she took both of his hands in her own as she asked, “Isaac, what does you dad do to you?” 

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“It doesn’t matter – “ the boy began, trying to wave it off as he still wasn’t used to the fact she knew what happened at home and didn’t want her to be burdened with more of his problems despite the fact he all too readily was ready to shoulder hers whenever they weighed on her. 

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Vanessa was quiet like him in that aspect as she tightened her hold on his hands and pleaded with him, “It matters. Please, Isaac, I need to know.” 

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Isaac searched her eyes, finding kindness and genuine concern and he knew that she wouldn’t stop until she knew everything he had been through. The boy sighed, eyes shutting as he dropped his head. 

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“Usually, he throws stuff around and yells at me. Sometimes he sends me to bed without dinner because he chucked it on the floor. Other times it will get so bad he would actually hit me. That’s only when I’ve messed up at the cemetery or done something wrong he couldn’t fix,” he explained, his voice sounded as if he was in another place and another time as he continued, “But the punishment he has used the longest is the freezer in our basement.” 

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“The freezer?” Vanessa questioned, barely above a whisper and growing more horrified by the second. 

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Isaac nodded, “He would tell me to get in the freezer. Then he would shut it on me and lock it. He would then go off to work or sleep or work on his car, leaving me in there for what felt like hours. A few times he didn’t come back for me until the next morning.” 

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“That’s what happened to you fingers?” 

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“I scratched at the door,” he croaked out, swallowing loudly, “I thought maybe if I could tear off bits and pieces I could get through so there would be less layers to push against.” 

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He started to gasp out as tears fought to free themselves from his eyes before his head was pulled into a soft chest, gentle hands stroking back his curls as he tried to stop himself from crying but when a soothing voice coaxed him, “It’s okay, you can fall apart,” he broke down, pulling her closer as he sobbed into her chest. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Time stopped for the two teenagers as they sought comfort from one another, tears drying and sobs hitching to a stop until all they shared was a slowing heartbeat and long, deep breaths through the things that pained them. They didn’t know why they only felt this peace around each other, why they couldn’t seem to feel quiet as okay around anyone else in their lives, but they were grateful they never had to be not as okay as they were before. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang to signal the end of homeroom and the two pulled back, fixing up their clothes and wiping at their eyes as they inched out of the closet before anyone in their class could walk out and see the two together. Isaac looked down at her, watching as she fixed up her hair and breathed in. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Almost makes you want to ditch the rest of the day,” she joked softly, cut off from her humourless laugh when his hand reached out to hold hers. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Remember how I said it was brave to run away earlier?” Isaac began, watching as she nodded at him before continuing, “It’s time to be brave by sticking around and proving that although we may retreat, we won’t surrender.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Although we may retreat, we won’t surrender,” the girl repeated, humming in amusement as she asked, “Where have I heard that before?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Probably from Coach before a big game. He likes to make speeches like that,” Isaac replied, lips quirking up into one of those smiles Vanessa was obsessed with. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Makes sense.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two laughed, clutching one another’s hands and gazing intently at one another to the point that Erica, who was walking behind them waiting for them to notice her with their bags, actually had to clear her throat – three times – until they snapped out of it. Vanessa and Isaac took their bags from the girl, waving goodbye with matching red cheeks as the blonde girl smirked, nudging the brunette with a sly grin. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Seems like he _really _did have you covered,” the girl muttered in an attempt to cheer her up, smiling in delight as her best friend ducked her head shyly.__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Shut up,” Vanessa whined with a smile, eyes softening as she glanced back to see the boy disappear around the corner, “He makes me feel really safe. Makes me feel like I can fall apart and take as long as I like while doing it.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He seems like a sweet guy,” Erica remarked genuinely, “I’m glad he helped you back there. What those people were saying was brutal, probably just as brutal as the last time.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa cringed, remembering what happened at the start of their sophomore year during Gymnastics. Erica had started seizing up and the poor girl pissed herself. To make things worse, she was the only one who tried to help the girl – everybody else was too busy laughing and trying to stick shit like silver spoons in her mouth before Vanessa had come along and told them off, saying that putting stuff in her mouth could cause her to break her teeth and doesn’t actually help when someone is having an epileptic attack like they assumed. To make things worse, some asshole had been recording the whole thing and the video had circled the school for weeks before a teacher found out and shut it down. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa and Erica spent those weeks hidden up on the roof, not wanting to deal with the whispers. Erica had even skipped classes to avoid the whispers, spending entire school days on the roof while Vanessa emailed her notes and homework so she could maintain her grade point average. It took weeks before she could coax her friend to return to her classes, the girl on agreeing after she spoke to the guidance counsellor. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Erica's self-esteem was shattered, confidence in herself non-existent and trust of anyone outside of herself and Vanessa was broken. It had taken six months to get to where she was now, which was a pretty good place for Erica. The girl had managed to befriend a boy named Boyd who she apparently studied with, held conversations with Allison during lunch and was able to approach Isaac today without breaking out into nervous stutters. Vanessa was proud of her best friend and couldn’t wait to see how far she would go. Because Erica inspired her to always strive for her best. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She had two people who gave her the strength to walk down that hall that day, two people who held very different places in her heart but who held it nevertheless as she tuned out the whispers, the sneers and the lies that circulated and made her way from class to class. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When it came to Study Hall though, she was drawn by an invisible force – and the promise of seeing Isaac again, and in his lacrosse jersey at that – to the bleachers where people had chosen to watch the practice instead of catching up on their work. And honestly, who could blame them when there were hot, sweaty boys running around and flaunting their good looks? And when she referred to hot boys, she was talking about Isaac in particular. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was so engrossed with him from where he was standing in the middle of the field, waiting for practice to start as he went through some stretches that exposed glimpses of skin that drew her eye, that she didn’t realize who she had sat behind until Stiles had turned from where he sat at the benches in front of her. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, Ness,” he began, blinking up at her with big, dopey eyes that gave you the same feelings you feel for babies when they look up at you at the grocery store, “How you holding up?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa hesitated. On one hand, she wanted some space from her friends and their werewolf business but on the other hand, she missed them. She missed their stupid faces and their stupid smiles, and their stupid ideas that nearly got them killed once every full moon. She missed their hugs and their jokes, the way they laughed or threw sarcasm as badly as they once did with lacrosse balls. It was that part of her, the one that yearned for the boys she thought of as brothers, that won out. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She gave the boy an uneasy smile as she answered, “I’m doing better than I was three days ago, so that’s a start.” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles nodded, eyes softening, “That’s good to hear. Look, I got to go train, but I’ll check up on you after, yeah?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl nodded, not processing what he said until he got up to go over, “Wait, what? Why are you training?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles grinned at her, a big, happy grin that made her heart warm as he cried out, “I made first line, baby!” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa gasped, getting up and crashing into him with a hug as the two jumped around in a victory dance, singing, “You made the team, you made the team, you made the team!” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **BILINSKI!** ” Coach roared from across the field where everyone was waiting for him, “ **GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!** ” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, Coach!” Stiles yelled back, waving goodbye to her as he scrambled across to where his fellow players waited to begin the exercise. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl returned to the benches to watch as Isaac started off, his head turning to look at her before scooping up the ball and heading towards the goal. The boy dodged one boy and shoved the other away, heaving the stick over his shoulder and throwing the ball into the goal. The guys he went through got back up, giving him high fives and pats on the back as Coach yelled out praises. The boy walked to the side, taking his helmet off. She watched as Isaac ran a hand through his curly hair, glancing over his shoulder to look at her again. Vanessa beamed at him, giving him a smile and a wave which he returned, unknowingly sending butterflies to her stomach. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The next person to go up was number ’11’, Scott, who was knocked down quickly by the two boys she now recognized as Jackson’s friends, the boy in question laughing from where he and the rest of his goonies stood on the sidelines. Coach said something mocking about how the boys on the team had a problem with his new status as captain, something that shocked her almost as much as Stiles making first line, before calling up Stiles to take his turn. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa felt her stomach drop as Scott flipped up from the ground without using his arms, grabbing his stick and pushing Stiles back as he turned to try again. Something about her friend’s manner didn’t sit right with her and as he ran at the goal again, this time sending the two blockers onto their backs before sending his stick into Danny Mahealani’s face and the ball into the goal behind the boy who had fallen onto the ground to join his team mates. She knew as soon as Scott hit Danny that it was different than your usual body check. For one, you didn’t use your stick to hit people and Scott’s hit definently had some wolf power behind it. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott was usually careful about using his powers, wanting to avoid hurting people and possibly killing them. Something was off about him. Something really bad was going down. Something that made her ignore all previous resolutions to stay out of werewolf business and run onto the field along with the rest of the students watching, heading straight up to Stiles as Scott left to go back to the locker rooms. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy had just turned around with a shocked look on his face as he watched his best friend retreat. The girl who appeared beside him frowned at him in concern, “What happened? What’s wrong? Is Danny going to be okay?” 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Somethings _wrong _with Scott,” he frowned, Vanessa sighing before the last word left his mouth.__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And I take it we’re going to find out what?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Right you are.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Which was how Vanessa found herself at Scott’s front door with Stiles three hours later. She went home first, not accepting Stiles’ offer for a lift and driving her own car to meet him at their best friend’s house. She could tell her was disappointed by the way he dropped his head, but she just couldn’t make herself go near his jeep. Every time she did, she felt like she was on the brink of a panic attack and how it would be that much worst sitting inside it. She remembered the way it smelt, the feel of the metal and the colour of the interior and the scratched in the window and just didn’t want to be back there. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She might be breaking her promise to stay out of werewolf business but that didn’t mean she was okay with everything that came with it. And it almost disappointed her as much as it did for him. They covered up this underlying tension though as Stiles pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the McCall’s front door to face Melissa, who was on her way out for her shift at the hospital. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott?” she called, frowning as she saw the two teenagers closing the door behind them. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Stiles,” the boy responded sheepishly, hands holding up the key he used to get in. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Key,” Melissa pointed, a surprised look on her face as she did so. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, I had one made so……”, he explained proudly, looking down at them. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That doesn’t surprise me,” the woman shrugged, looking away from the boy as she continued, “It scares me, but doesn’t surprise me.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Melissa instead turned her attention to her goddaughter, stepping forward and giving her a quick hug as she whispered genuinely, “Hey, sweetheart. How you are holding up?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m doing better,” the girl shrugged, giving the woman her best smile as to reassure her. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They were interrupted by the sound of a loud thud, Stiles’ dropping the bag full of chains to the floor and standing around like that wasn’t suspicious at all. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What is that?” Melissa frowned, pointing at the bag. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy looked down, realizing his mistake and trying to come up with an excuse, “Ahh, school project.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott’s mother hummed, considering his answer before looking earnestly at them both, “Guys, he’s okay, right?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who? Scott? Yeah. Totally!” Stiles exclaimed with a wide smile. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He just doesn’t talk to me that much anymore, not like he used to.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa’s heart clenched at the longing in her godmother’s voice and wanted so bad to reassure her that her son was still there. That he still loved her and needed her. That he wanted to talk to her about so much but couldn’t without giving up his secret. But in times like these, when Scott was on edge and so narrow-minded to the point that everything except Allison faded away, she truly wondered if her words of reassurance would be words of truth. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, he’s had a bit of a rough week,” the boys shrugged, shaking his head. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Yeah,” the woman nodded, smiling weakly at them both, “Um, okay. Be careful tonight.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You too,” the two teenagers responded, Vanessa running forward to give the lady another warm hug before she left. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Full moon,” Melissa emphasized, causing the two kids to freeze up, staring shocked. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” they responded. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“There’s a full moon tonight,” the woman explained, leaning back a bit as she laughed, “You should see how the ER gets. Brings out all the nutjobs.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two teenagers sighed, nervous laughs breaking out as they nodded. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know, it’s actually where they came up with the word ‘lunatic’,” Melissa pointed out as Stiles gaped. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I _actually _knew that,” Vanessa called after her, watching as the woman shut the door behind her before cuffing Stiles in the back of the head, “Way to be more obvious, dumbass.”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I missed you too, Ness,” he muttered, rubbing at the back of his head with a grimace, “Missed you too.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two friends started up the stairs, pushing Scott’s bedroom door open and walking in before turning the light on only to fly back shouting in surprise upon seeing their friend sitting in his armchair. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh my god!” Stiles leaned against the wall, “Dude, you scared the hell out of us!” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the fuck are you doing sitting in the dark like that?” Vanessa exclaimed from where she was holding onto Stiles’ shoulders, “Your mom said you weren’t home yet.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I came in through the window,” Scott replied in a low voice that sent warning bells going off in Vanessa’s head. Stiles seemed to have them too as he stepped back a bit to consider their friend. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay,” the boy frowned before slowly going to take the contents out of his gym bag and onto the floor as he said, “Well, let’s get this set up. I want you to see what I brought.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m fine,” the boy in the chair muttered, eyes trained darkly on Stiles who held a long, thick chain in his hand, “I’m just gonna lock the door and go to bed early tonight.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa eased back against the wall, slowly as to not draw his attention as a feeling of cold, realization came over her that her friend was not as in control of himself as his calm demeanour made it seem. Stiles whipped his head up from the floor, swallowing hard. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re sure about that?” Stiles retorted, scrunching up his face, “Cause you’ve got this kind of serial killer look going on in your eyes, and I’m hoping it’s the full moon taking effect, cause it’s really starting to freak me out.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m fine,” Scott repeated, voice morphing into something deeper, more guttural, “You should go now.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Let’s go, Stiles,” Vanessa’s voice wobbled as she slid along the wall to the door, “If Scott says he’s fine, he’s fine.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay, I’ll leave,” Stiles’ tongue clicked as he made to get up before turning around, “Well, look, would you at least look in the bag and see what I brought?” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t think he cares,” the girl whispered. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles continued his tirade, waving his hands through the air, “You know, maybe you use it, maybe you don’t? Sound good?” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy in the chair stared at him for a long moment before getting up slowly as he made to kneel down in front of the gym bag, pulling a long chain up in front of him with this look of derision on his face as he said, “You think I’m gonna let you put these on and chain me up like a dog?” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Actually, no,” Stiles replied as Scott dropped the chains, before pulling out a pair of handcuffs and cuffing Scott’s wrist to the heater. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What the hell are you doing?” Scott grunted as he pulled against the heater. 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Protecting you from yourself and giving you some payback,” Stiles declared, breathing heavily from his nose as he glared at their friend, “For making out with Lydia.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _ **WHAT?!** _” Vanessa exclaimed, fixing her friend in handcuffs with an angry look, “You didn’t. Oh, please tell me you didn’t fucking do it!”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles disappeared down the hallway, leaving the girl there to yell at a disgruntled Scott, who started trying different ways to get out of the handcuffs. The other boy reappeared about ten minutes later, holding up a bottle of water and then pulling out a bowl with Scott’s name painted on with big, black letters. Vanessa watched as Stiles poured the water into the bowl and kneel down to serve it to Scott like the dog he was acting like. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She still couldn’t believe the guy actually made out with Lydia, the girl who their best friend had been in love with since third grade. Sure, bashing Danny’s face in was also a dick move but making out with **LYDIA. FREAKING. MARTIN?** Not even the full moon could excuse that treachery. Stiles went to walk back out of the door when Scott threw the bowl of water at his retreating friend’s back. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was about to go tell the boy off when Stiles turned around, “You kissed _her _, Scott, okay? You kissed **Lydia**. That’s, like, the one girl that I - And you know, the past three hours, I’ve been thinking, it’s probably just the full moon, you know, he doesn’t even know what he’s doing, and tomorrow he’ll be totally back to normal. He probably won’t even remember what a complete dumbass he’s been. A son of a bitch, a freakin’ unbelievable piece of crap friend – not just to me, but to Vanessa too.” __

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles gestured to her, leaning down as he continued, “She was there that night, out there with the Alpha way before he found a way into the school with us. She was terrified, alone and what did you spend most of the weekend moping about? Freakin’ Allison dumping your ass?” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott peered up at them, smirking as he ignored everything Stiles had said, “She kissed me.” 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” the boy next to her stuttered, leaning back a bit causing Vanessa to grab his arm to steady him as the boy on the ground gave them a crooked grin that made her want to punch him, leaning against the heater. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I didn’t kiss her. _She _kissed _me _.”____

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa and Stiles walked out of that room, the boy collapsing against the wall outside as Scott continued taunting him. 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She would have done a lot more, too. You should have seen the way she had her hands _all _over me. She would have done anything I wanted. **Anything!** ” __

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Scott roared and Vanessa had enough. She stormed around the corner as Scott smirked victoriously up at her before her shoe met his face, his head hitting the floor and his eyes fluttering up at her in a daze. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **NEVER** ,” she screamed, sending another kick to his legs, “ **EVER** , say such shitty things again! When you get your head out of the dark side of the fucking moon, I’ll apologize. But until then, you will shut your fucking face up or I swear to God – I might love you like a brother – _I will knock you out _. You hear me?!”__

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa growled down at the wolf who was seeing stars and walked around the corner to plop herself down next to a glassy eyed Stiles. She took long, deep breaths and leaned against his side as she whispered reassuringly, “It’s the full moon talking. He’s a dumbass, but today was the full moon.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy next to her nodded, blinking back tears as she continued. 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t listen to that stuff. If Lydia heard him saying that shit about her, she would knock him out herself,” Stiles let out a bit of a laugh as she said that, making her smile, “She might have kissed him but it didn’t mean anything. In a week, she will forget about him, okay.” 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“At least he had her,” Stiles began before she cut him off. 

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No one _has _her,” Vanessa corrected, shaking her head, “You cant _have _someone. People aren’t objects. And even if they were, I don’t think anyone could have _all _of Lydia Martin. There’s too many sides of people that people don’t want and it would take a very special person to love and accept all of those sides, let alone make the girl herself love them.”______

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _I love her _,” he croaked out, saltwater leaking from tears as he stared at his hands, “I love all of her. Her brains, her beauty, her cutting wit and her resourcefulness. Her cunning mind and her ability to make people disappear just by turning away from them. I love all of her.”__

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And someday,” Vanessa whispered, slinging her arm around her best friend’s shoulder to hold him as he cried, “she will realize that. And all this pain, all this waiting will be worth it. Because I bet you, she will love you right back. I know I would.” 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was silent as Stiles composed himself, whispering _thank you _back at her as they waited out in the hall for the night to end.__

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	21. Who Let The Dogs Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pull of the moon can do a lot of stuff. Make you make out with your best friend's crush. Make you smash the nicest guy's face in. And, believe it or not, it can also break handcuffs.
> 
> It's been one crazy night and it's not over yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, Derek's back and I love him even though this is probably one hundred percent too OCC to be real. Let me have my moments.

The sound of metal scraping against metal had the two teenagers sitting rigid, cold, hard looks replacing their earlier vulnerability as they stared forward, unblinking. 

“Stiles, _please _let me out,” they heard Scott beg, pulling against his restraints, “It’s the full moon, I swear. You know I wouldn’t do any of this on purpose.”__

____

“Don’t listen to him,” Vanessa whispered, clutching his arm as they continued staring forward, “It might be the full moon but if he get’s out, he’s going to do worse things than make out with the love of your life.” 

____

“ _Please _Stiles, let me out. It’s starting to hurt. It’s not like the first time. It’s the full moon. It’s Allison breaking up with me. I know that it’s not just taking a break. She broke up with me. And it’s _killing _me. I feel completely hopeless. Just, _please _, let me out.”______

_______ _ _ _

Stiles shook his head, eyes darting down to his hands as he whispered, more to himself than to Scott, “I _can’t _.”__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

As the screaming started, the two teens put their hands over their ears, eyes welling up with tears of regret as their friend thrashed around in pain as screams morphed into growls until it went deathly quiet. They stilled, exchanging concerned glances before getting up off the floor and putting their ear to the door. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Scott, are you okay?” Stiles called, not getting any reply. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The two opened the door, stumbling through and coming face to face with a pair of bloody handcuffs on the floor and blood stains on the sill of the open window that spilled in the light of the silvery moon that made their friend lose his mind once every month. They sprinted down the hall and out of the house, mind’s echoing the same word over and over again. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_Allison. Allison. Allison._

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa knew that their friend would go straight to the girl he had fallen for and knew that they would need help to stop Scott from doing something he would later regret. She stopped Stiles on his way to his jeep. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What? We need to go now, Ness!” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know, but we’re going to need backup,” she reasoned, pulling out her phone as Stiles frowned. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who?” he questioned, as the person on the other end answered, Vanessa holding the phone out on speaker as Derek’s low voice murmured, “ **DEREK? YOU’RE CALLING DEREK**?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Shut up _!” she snapped, turning her attention to her phone, “Derek, we need your help. Scott’s gone after Allison. He’s different. The full moon has made him _completely _lose his mind.”____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Where’s Allison? He’ll be headed straight for her.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ll call her and text you back with her location,” she replied before hanging up. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles led them towards his jeep when she stopped in her tracks, heart beating fast as she realized that she would actually need to get in the car with Stiles to go find their friend. Stiles noticed this and sighed heavily, dragging a hand through his head as he came around to stand beside her. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ness,” he began, putting a hand on her arm, “I know it’s going to be hard and I wish I can ease you into this slowly but we don’t have time. Just keep looking out the window. Don’t turn your head around and keep breathing slow and steady. If you feel like panicking at all, wind down the window and keep breathing? Okay? Okay.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded hesitantly, slowly opening the door to the passenger seat and sitting down gingerly inside as Stiles’ jeep roared to life and drove down the street. She busied herself by ringing Allison, the girl answering her phone after four rings with a confused, “Hello?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, Allie,” the brunette greeted in faux brightness despite feeling like she was running out of air, “What are you doing right now?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m with Jackson. We’re at the mall parking lot and he’s giving me a lift home. Why?” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, you’re busy? Sorry, shit! Never mind, have fun and tell him I said to drive you home safely. Take care!” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Wait – “ 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa hung up before her friend could question her rude behavior, turning out the window to inhale the cool night air as she directed Stiles to head to the mall, texting Derek the same location. They were driving on the back roads by Beacon Hills Preserve when the blue and red lights drew their attention, stopping at the sight of squad cars, an ambulance and deputies blocking their way ahead. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles parked the jeep and the two hopped out as a stretcher with a body whose identity was hidden by a cloth was wheeled over to the ambulance. The teenagers called out for their parents, stomachs aching with dread as they couldn’t find them anywhere. Having no choice, they approached the stretcher and stared at the burnt hand that hung off it with bile creeping up their throats. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A bitter taste settled in her mouth at the sight of it, thinking that it could be Sarah or even Chief when she heard her godfather’s voice call out to them from behind them. Her and Stiles turned to find their parents staring back at them with concern. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What are you doing here?” the Sheriff questioned before Stiles pulled the man in for a tight hug. Vanessa ran to her own mother and did the same, inhaling the vanilla she had stolen from Lisa that morning. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello to you too,” Sarah replied, bewildered about how her daughter was even there in the first place – and the fact she had just gotten out of Stiles’ jeep as she was aware Vanessa was less than thrilled at the idea of being near the thing again. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who are they?” Stiles gestured to the bodies in the ambulance, looking stricken. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_He probably thinks their Scott’s victims._

____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Haven’t ID them yet but it looks like it was another animal attack,” the Sheriff explained, shaking his head sadly, “The only reason I’m telling you two this is because I don’t want you worrying them about being victims of the guy from Wednesday night. Although…..” 

____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Although what?” Stiles questioned, catching the frown on his father’s face. 

____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“One of them was severely burnt and we found him in what looked to be a trash can that was used as a bonfire,” the Sheriff explained, scratching his head, “He could have been running away from the animal or whatever it was had pushed the guy into the fire but he was found head first.” 

____

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Stiles looked at Vanessa as she mouthed _Alpha _before she turned to her godfather.__

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Do you have any idea how long they had been dead for?” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Can’t tell exactly but it had to be at least a day,” Sarah answered, sighing, “I guess there’s more than one mountain lion out there.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Guess so,” Vanessa shrugged before yawning, “I’m gonna head home, if that’s okay?” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Sarah, you can take her home if you want,” the Sheriff offered. 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Are you sure?” the woman asked. The man she considered more as a brother than a boss nodded, waving them both off as the girl hugged her friend goodbye. 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

The two females drove home, the younger kissing her mother goodnight before going up to her room to wait for messages that would reassure her that her friends were alright. It wasn’t until half an hour later when she was half asleep that her phone rang with Derek’s name on the Caller ID. 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Is Scott okay?” she exclaimed as a greeting. 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“He’s fine. I took him back to his place where he’s sleeping it off.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Oh, thank God!” Vanessa sighed in relief, settling back down on her bed as she moved onto her next question, “Were you caught?” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“No. Neither Allison nor Jackson saw anything.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Good,” she nodded before softening slightly, “How are you holding up? You know, with being a wanted fugitive and all?” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Not exactly what I want to spend my free time doing. But I’m alive.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“I told my mother that I didn’t think you were the one at the school. I reported a statement saying that you were the first one attacked and the last time I saw you, you were getting your ass kicked so they should dismiss you as a suspect pretty soon.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Thanks. Also, you got some a twig in your hair.” 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Vanessa frowned, hand reaching up to find out where this so-called twig was when she realized what he just said, turning around fast to see him looking up at her from her driveway. She jumped, gasping out before sprinting out of the house quick and dragging behind the stone wall between her driveway and the street. 

____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“What the _fuck _are you doing here?” she whispered harshly, punching him in the shoulder, “Were we not just talking about how you’re a _wanted fugitive _?”____

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“I wanted to check up on you.” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Vanessa jerked back, raising an eyebrow at him, “You. Wanted to check up. On me?” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Derek gave her a deadpan look before sighing, eyes softening as he said, “I saw you being pulled out of the jeep on Wednesday night. You looked really shaken up.” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“You were still there? What happened to you anyway?” she questioned, inspecting him for wounds. 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“I had to hide and heal. Injuries from an Alpha take more time to heal,” he explained, crossing his arms over his chest. 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“Oh, okay,” she nodded, looking up at him blinking, “Are you okay now?” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

His lips twitched slightly, “I’m okay now. Are you?” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

She shrugged nonchalantly, “I’m alive.” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Derek cleared his throat, uncrossing his arms as he murmured softly, “Look, I heard you in the jeep the whole time and I just wanted to say that if I wasn’t just mauled by the Alpha, I would have gone and got you. I would have taken you with me and I wouldn’t have left you terrified and alone while he was out there. And I’m sorry that was what I had to do.” 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

She gaped up at this man who she had never heard apologize in the three weeks that she knew him and was aghast. Because he was actually being sincere. She could tell by how fucking awkward he looked. So, she did what she always did and gave him a big cuddle. Which probably made him that more uncomfortable. About a minute into this one sided hug, she felt him loosen up his shoulders and move his arms as if he was learning about the mechanisms of this thing she was giving him until he managed to wrap his own arms around her and give her a tight squeeze before pulling back. 

____

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“We are _never _doing that again,” he muttered, looking every but at the girl smirking up at him.__

____

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

“I doubt that. Nobody can resist a hug from me. I’m too cute,” she waved as she turned on her heel to go back up her driveway, calling back behind her with a soft smile, “I’m glad you’re alive, Derek.” 

____

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

She could have sworn that he had whispered back, “You too,” but maybe it was just the wind.

____

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____


	22. Shut Up And Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Here’s some advice, kids. When a guy says he needs you, don’t fall for the trap. ___
> 
> __Which led her to where she was now. In the middle of a car chase she really had no place being in. But when your best friend was a werewolf and the guy being chased – who also might be becoming a friend – was not only a werewolf but a fugitive, you kind of find yourself in the middle of things you didn’t think you’d be in the middle of._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Title is taken from Rihanna's Shut Up And Drive which I think describes this chapter pretty accurately despite it being 98% canon.  
> \- Also for anyone who thinks that Scott got let off too easily for the shit he pulled, he was under the full moon, was handcuffed by Stiles, kicked in the head by Vanessa and shouted at for an hour. He also brought Vanessa flowers, grovelled profusely and agreed to shout pizza for the rest of the year. I think by now, he should be let off the hook.

The next night, Vanessa was back in it again. And, more specifically, in the back seat of Derek’s Camaro as Scott sped through the backroads, hunters on their trail. 

“Faster?” Scott questioned, as the car screeched around a corner. 

“ _Much _faster,” her and Stiles insisted, turning to watch as the car behind them gained speed.__

____

Scott stepped on the accelerator, revving the engine as they got on the main road. It seemed like every sharp move the teenagers made, the car behind them always seemed to be able to keep up. Meaning they were older and more experienced. 

____

“Hey, Scott, I don’t think you’re grasping the concept of a car chase here,” Stiles stammered, holding onto the top of the car. Vanessa had to agree. Despite the fact the boy was going over the speed limit, she still felt like they could go just a _tiny, bit **faster** _.__

______ _ _

“If I go faster, I’ll kill us,” Scott argued, hand landing a jab on the steering wheel as if to execute his point. 

______ _ _

“Well, if you don’t go faster, _they’ll _kill us!” the other boy exclaimed, throwing his thumb back. Vanessa clutched the back of their seats, leaning forward to say, “I usually respect the no back seat driving rule, dude but Stiles has a point. And I don’t want to die tonight, I really don’t.”__

________ _ _ _ _

Suddenly, they changed lanes and the car behind them screeched, taking the exit and disappearing. Stiles and Scott looked shocked, wondering where they had went but Vanessa figured that they must have realized they were following decoys and rendezvoused with their partner. Stiles turned on the police radio he stole, the static breaking out into the Sheriff’s voice as he reported that Derek had headed into the ironworks. 

________ _ _ _ _

Vanessa threw herself back into her seat, groaning. She knew that the day was going _too _perfect. She had woken up to breakfast in bed, pancakes and french toast making the sunny morning that much more so. She got to school where Scott had flowers ready for her and a kick ass apology for both her and Stiles about how much of an asshole he was being and how he would be shouting pizza for the rest of the year. She and Erica went to that pizza place around the corner of the school as the blonde talked her ear off about her new friend and study partner, Boyd, whose name rose rosy cheeks as she talked about how he was really good at Physics and was on the track team. Her and Allison spent their free period on the roof where they secretly watched lacrosse practice, Allison sending not so subtle glances at Scott the whole time while Vanessa was unabashedly staring at Isaac as he body checked people left and right. In Art, she got to stare at Isaac for _another _hour as he smiled at her all cute and adorable like – **enough said.** ____

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Then she went home and laid in her bed, enjoying the fact that no whispers or lies got under her skin and she could breathe normally for the first time in five days when she got the call. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Here’s some advice, kids. When a guy says he needs you, don’t fall for the trap._

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Which led her to where she was now. In the middle of a car chase she really had no place being in. But when your best friend was a werewolf and the guy being chased – who also might be becoming a friend – was not only a werewolf but a fugitive, you kind of find yourself in the middle of things you didn’t think you’d be in the middle of. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Scott drives like an old paraplegic _, she snorted, shaking her head and thanking the Gods that was over.__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy drove off to the ironworks, speeding up as they noticed the familiar crouched figure ahead sporting his signature leather jacket. The man had his arm over his head, Allison’s father standing on top of some machinery with a rifle aimed in his direction. The kids ushered the man into the car, dodging bullets that barely missed him. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa ducked her head as shots were fired at the car, grabbing onto Derek’s leather jacket as Scott screeched out of there. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What part of _laying low _don’t you understand?” Scott shouted back at the man.__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Damn it, I had him!” Derek yelled, sending his fist into the door as the three teenagers looked at him in shock. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who, the Alpha?” Stiles frowned. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes! He was right in front of me and the freaking police showed up,” the agitated man complained, throwing his hands up in frustration. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Straight away, Vanessa and Stiles raised their hands, getting ready to defend their parents. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, they’re just doing their jobs,” Stiles cringed, leaning back against the front seat to look at him. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, dude, they don’t know what you’re doing,” Vanessa reasoned, waving her hands at them. 

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek glared at them both, before moving it to the driver, “Yeah, thanks to _**someone** _who decided to make me the most wanted fugitive in the entire state!”__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Can we seriously get past that?!” Scott exclaimed, eyes darting across the road in front of them, “I made a dumbass mistake. I get it.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I think it’s a little more than a dumbass mistake, but we’ll discuss that later,” Vanessa scrunched up her nose before changing the subject, “How did you find him?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“The last time I talked to my sister, she was close to figuring something out. She found two things. The first was a guy named Harris,” Derek explained before being cut off by Stiles, who sent him an incredulous look. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Our chemistry teacher?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why him?” Scott questioned, before turning his attention back to the road. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t know yet,” Derek shook his head. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What’s the second?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek pulled something out of his pocket, unfolding an insigna that looked startingly familiar to her, “Some kind of symbol.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She saw Scott sigh, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What? You know what this is?” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s the same symbol on Allison’s necklace,” Vanessa explained, Scott shooting her a betrayed look which she ignored. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You need to get that necklace!” Derek insisted, leaning forward in the seat before Vanessa snatched up the back of his leather jacket. 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Easy there, car chase is over so that means we’re going back to the no backseat driving rule. Also, I dibs being dropped off first.” 

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The three guys sighed, settling back in their seats as they headed to her house. As they pulled up beside her driveway and the girl hopped out, she leaned down to look at Derek as she pointed a finger at him, “Now, try to actually lay low this time. I _really _don’t fancy having to be in the car as an aged care escapee. Also, whatever you decide – tell me first because I’m pretty sure whatever insane plan you come up with can be done in a much for uncomplicated way than the way you’re thinking of. Toodles, boys!”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The last thing she heard before they pulled the way was Stiles muttering about how his plans were “ _genius, thank you very much _.”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

, _You fucking wish, honey _.__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	23. It's Always the Ones You Least Expected (Get Fucking Real)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Quarterfinals and all that Vanessa wants to do is attend a Lacrosse game, see her crush bodycheck the shit out of their rivals, cheer for her friends and watch Stiles play his first game and then go home to crash.
> 
> As per fucking usual, nothing went the way she thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this one longer for you guys because the other two were really short so enjoy x

“How the hell did _he _find out?”__

____

Scott had just told them both that Jackson Whittemore, of all people, was the first to figure out that Scott was a werewolf and Vanessa lost all hope she ever had for mankind. Out of all the idiots at school, fucking _Jackson _was the one who put the pieces together? They must’ve been pretty large pieces because Jackson was an idiot. Not an idiot, like he wasn’t failing classes and was actually in a few AP ones but he didn’t have an _imagination _.____

_______ _ _ _

“Did he say it out loud? The word?” Stiles questioned Scott. 

_______ _ _ _

“What word?” 

_______ _ _ _

“Werewolf. Did he say ‘ _I know you’re a werewolf _’?”__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“No, but he implied it pretty freakin’ clearly,” Scott gritted his teeth as he leaned in. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay, maybe it’s not as bad as it seems,” Stiles suggested, causing his two friends to look at him like he had grown a second head, “I mean he doesn’t have any proof, right? And if he wanted to tell someone, who’s gonna believe him anyway?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“How about Allison’s father?” Scott exclaimed, throwing his hands out. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded, pointing at her friend as she said, “Good fucking point.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay, it’s bad,” Stiles admitted, raising a hand to massage his temple. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I need a cure. Right now.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The girl beside them stopped walking, raising a hand to halt them as she frowned, “What’s this about a cure?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The two boys realized they hadn’t caught her up on everything she needed to know and sighed as Scott explained quickly, “Derek told me that I could possible be cured. All I have to do is kill the one who turned me.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa considered this for a moment. To her, it just sounded like Derek was trying to manipulate Scott into killing the Alpha for him. Wasn’t it convenient that Scott could get everything he wanted by doing the very thing Derek had been wanting help with this whole time? But because she still wasn’t completely sure how the supernatural world worked as of yet, she didn’t voice this. Instead, she nodded, waving them off as she reminded herself to text Derek later to get the 411 on this cure bullshit. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I’ve got a plan. It’s gonna take some time and finesse,” Stiles abruptly suggested. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“We have the game tonight. It’s quarterfinals,” Scott reminded the other boy, who sighed, “And it’s your first game.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I know, I know. Look, do you have a plan for Allison yet?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s in my next class,” Scott admitted, looking reluctant to go through with it. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I could ask her if you wanted,” Vanessa offered, raising her hand slightly. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The boy shook his head, although his eyes looked longing as if he wanted so badly to take up her offer, “No, I need to do it. I can see things you might miss out on.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Just get the necklace,” Stiles lamented, before walking off to his class. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa whispered ‘ _good luck _’ before heading to her own second period class, knowing her friend was going to need it.__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She met up with him later at lunch and knew by the gut-punch look on his face that he didn’t succeed in getting the necklace or getting his girlfriend back. She slid her tray in front of him and gave him five more minutes to wallow in self-pity before she would start in on him. Unfortunately, Stiles didn’t get the memo and dropped his tray down. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did you get her to give you the necklace?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Not exactly,” Scott grunted. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What happened?” Stiles questioned, leaning on the table as he looked at their friend. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She told me not to talk to her,” he explained, causing Vanessa to raise a brow at him. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why? What did you do?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nothing! I just sent a few pictures of us when we still together and it just made her upset – “ 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before he had even finished his sentence, Vanessa had gotten up with her lunch and walked out of the cafeteria, eyes searching for a dark-haired girl she knew would be somewhere secluded so she could go through her heartbreak alone. She found the girl on top of the roof, sobbing as she scrolled through pictures of her and Scott. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allie?” the brunette called out, gingerly approaching as the girl on the ground looked up with red eyes, “Oh, honey. What happened?” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I j-just f-fe-el so confus-sed,” Allison stuttered through broken sobs, “I want to go back to him but I don’t trust him! And then he sends me these pictures like he’s trying to make me feel bad!” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa dropped her bag of chicken drumsticks onto the ground beside her before taking a seat next to her friend, pulling the girl close as she stroked a soothing hand through her hair, “Shhh. I know. Scott’s a guy, they think different from us. They think that the way back into our hearts is the thing that breaks it even more.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“He never left my heart though,” Allison cried out, leaning her head on her friend’s shoulder, “I almost got to a good place where I thought I could - I don’t know maybe forgive him? Maybe get back to a place we could be friends at least, but he did _this _, and I don’t know what to think!”__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know. I just came back from the cafeteria with him,” the brunette confessed, watching as Allison turned to her with wide eyes, “Not to defend him. Actually, it was to make sure you were okay after what he told me he had done. The boy has no clue the hurt he caused and is in there right now probably more miserable than he was before. _As he should be _.”__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t want either of us to be miserable.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“But you’re gonna be until you both come to a place where you can look at him like he didn’t betray your trust and he can look at you like you guys didn’t break up,” Vanessa explained, patting the girls arm, “That stuff takes time and patience that only one of you seems to have.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s me right?” she heard Allison say and burst out laughing, hugging the girl tighter. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, silly. That’s you.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A glint of silver caught her eye and Vanessa’s breath hitched in her chest as she cleared her throat, “That’s a pretty medallion. I’ve seen you wear it before, but I didn’t know what was on it.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh,” Allison sniffed, looking down to bring the medallion up so the other girl could see it clearly. It definitely was the symbol on Derek’s paper, but it appeared flat. No secret compartment or hidden inscription. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“My aunt gave it to me. It belongs to the women in the family, kind of an heirloom I guess?” the dark-haired girl explained. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Your aunt? Oh, your Aunt Kate?” Vanessa confirmed, waiting for the girl to nod before she continued, “I didn’t get the chance to meet her before, did I?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’ll probably see her at tonight’s game,” the girl smiled, spinning the medallion between her fingers. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re really close with her, aren’t you?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s my dad’s sister but most of the time, she feels more like mine. You remind me of her actually,” Allison grinned. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa raised a brow at her, quirking her lips up in a smirk, “So she’s a drop dead gorgeous badass that thinks you don’t need no man.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“She’s set on me becoming a heartbreaker.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sounds like a wonderfully lady.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The bell rang out, telling them lunch had ended as they stood up, Allison wiping at her eyes. Vanessa stopped her. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you don’t want to leave rashes under your eyes, try dabbing lightly,” she suggested, tapping the girls sleeve before heading to the door. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks,” she heard Allison say from behind her as she held the door open. 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s all good. I had to hide the fact I had been crying on Monday, so it came in handy.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I heard about that,” the girl admitted, eyes downcast as they walked down the stairwell, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you more. I couldn’t believe the stuff I heard that day.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s all good,” Vanessa repeated before her lips curved into a soft smile, “In fact, I had someone who got me through it.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who?” Allison questioned before she caught a familiar glint in her friend’s eyes and joined her smiling, “Isaac?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two girls giggled as they joined the throng of students heading to third period. They waved goodbye as they separated, Allison choosing to spend Study Hall in the library while Vanessa made her way outside to the bleachers. Lacrosse practice didn’t start for over two hours, so she was alone with no one to interrupt her as she pulled out her phone and dialled Derek’s number. 

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“Hello?” 

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“Hey, so I got a look at that locket. There’s nothing special about it, no compartment, no inscription.” 

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“So, it’s useless?” 

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“Not necessarily,” she stated, trying to explain the conclusion she came up with in her mind, “Allison revealed that her aunt, Kate Argent, had given it to her. Which got me thinking, you told me that the hunters were behind the fire, right?” 

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“Yeah?” 

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“Now, your sister had two pieces of information. The name of a guy named Harris and the symbol of the Argents. Now, the Alpha was after the same guy Harris that night,” Vanessa explained, rushing to get to what she had been thinking all along, “So I thought, hey, the wolf must be someone close to your old family and must be looking for revenge. But how is that if there weren’t any survivors of the fire.” 

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“Except for me, my sister and…….” 

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“Derek,” she said softly, eyes darting around as if she was afraid she would be hurt, “Did the Alpha say anything to Harris before you rescued him?” 

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“He said ‘turn around and look at what you did to me’,” Derek replied quietly as he processed what she was saying, “I’ll talk to you later.” 

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“Wait – “ she exclaimed as the phone beeped in her ear to signal he had hung up. 

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“Did he just hang up on you?” a familiar voice said from the foot of the bleachers. 

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Her eyes widened comically as they landed on the tall boy who had both his hands shoved into his sweatshirt. 

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“How much of that did you hear?” she squeaked, putting her phone in her pocket. 

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“I only just got hear and heard you shout so I don’t think I heard that much,” Isaac shrugged, coming to sit beside her, “Is he your boyfriend?” 

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“ _Him _?” she scrunched up her face at the ridiculous thought, bursting out laughing as she slapped a hand onto the bench beside her, “Oh my god, no! He’s just a friend I’ve been trying to help out. Would be able to help him out _more _if he didn’t hang up on me all the time.”____

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“Oh, right sorry,” the boy blushed. 

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Vanessa hurried to reassure if that he didn’t offend her, “It’s fine. But just to clarify, I’m single. It would take a **real** special guy to handle all of this so.” 

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Isaac nodded, smiling slightly as he turned away from her, “So, are you coming to the game tonight?” 

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“I should be, yeah,” she grinned, nudging him lightly with her shoulder, “Am I gonna see these famous body checks I hear so much about?” 

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“People talk about me blocking people?” he asked with wide eyes. 

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The girl threw her head laughing, “My two best friends might have mentioned the one guy on the team who can send people to the ground.” 

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Isaac blushed bashfully, and the adorableness was enough to almost give her heart palpitations, “I don’t think I’ll have to do a lot anymore with a guy like Scott on the team.” 

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“Hey,” she placed a hand on his arm as she gave him a cheeky grin, “If you want to body check my best friend, I will not complain. God knows he needs one once and a while.” 

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“Are you trying to actively get me to send my own team mate to the ground?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She considered it for a moment and shook her head, grinning excitedly, “Yeah, maybe just wait until a practice. I want us to win tonight!” 

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The two laughed and chatted some more until the bell rang for fifth, the boy leaving the girl with the promise that he would try to help the team win tonight. Just to see that bright smile he was obsessed with appear across her beautiful face. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa leaned against the counter at the hospital, eyes on the door longingly when a familiar face walked in. Stiles caught sight of her and hurried over, on the phone to someone as she grabbed her arm and led her away from the front desk. He had texted her to meet him here and that he had something important he needed to show her – it was one of those times where she regretted breaking her promise on sleuthing. 

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“What the fuck are we doing here?” she hissed, yanking her arm out of his grip, “You’re supposed to be at the game! You’re on first line!” 

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“I know!” he whispered back harshly as he began looking into the rooms, “Do you know which one Derek’s uncle is supposed to be in?” 

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Her eyes darted to the room and she felt her heart shudder for some reason. She told him to wait there as she went to check and found the room empty. No nurse. No Peter. 

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“Vanessa!” she heard Stiles shout, eyes wide full of fear and fixated on something behind her as he pointed, “Get away from the door!” 

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She turned around to face a handsome man with blue eyes and a devil may care smirk on his face. A face that was burnt on one side. 

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“ _Vanessa _,” he purred, eyes flashing red as they gave her a once over, “What a pretty name.”__

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“Thanks,” she replied with a sweet smile and a heartbeat of 180, getting ready to turn and run, “Unfortunately, I already know yours so no introduction need.” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She spun on her heel and came face to face with a nurse, that must be Jennifer. She groaned, catching Stiles eye from across the room as he gestured frantically. 

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“It’s her- and it’s him who – “ 

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“Yes, I know,” she rolled her eyes, trying to remain calm as Stiles exclaimed they were both going to die when an elbow smashed into the nurses face, sending her to the ground. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed in relief as Derek pushed her behind him to where Stiles was leaning on the wall to stand up, the two clinging to each other as Peter chided Derek for knocking out his nurse. 

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“She’s a psychotic bitch helping you kill people,” the newcomer spat, facing off against his uncle. 

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Because she knew it all along, _Uncle Peter was the fucking Alpha._

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“You think I killed Laura on purpose?” Peter asked, striding towards them with deadly intent in his eyes as he tilted his head, “One of my own family?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek reared back, roaring and Vanessa could see the glow cobalt blue, knowing it was time to drop and run for cover. She and Stiles hid behind a cabinet as Derek jumped off the wall and pushed his uncle through the one across from him, leaving a big hole. Peter’s hands grabbed Derek’s shoudlers and threw the younger man across the hall and onto the ground. 

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As he lifted up Derek by the neck and started dragging into the lobby, Peter began talking quietly, “My mind, my personality, were literally burned out of me. I was being driven by pure instinct.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He dropped his nephew to the ground, bending to search for keys in his unconscious nurse’s pocket as Derek got up, snarling, “You want forgiveness?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He sent a punch and Vanessa sighed, muttering quietly, “He wants revenge, Derek. “ 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Peter sent a kick that flipped Derek on his stomach, “Do you have any idea what it was like for me during those years? Slowly healing cell by cell. Even more slowly coming back to consciousness. Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can’t help that.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek spat blood onto the ground, pushing himself off the ground sending fist after fist at his uncle, whose superior reflexes helped him to dodge the attacks, even blocking it with some of his own as he grabbed the younger man’s fist and squeezed hard, sending Derek to his knees in pain. The sound of bones being crushed made her want empty her contents on the floor but this looked to be a permanent hiding place so she didn’t want to make a mess of it too quickly. 

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“I tried to tell you what was happening,” Peter insisted, hand still clenched around his nephew’s fist, “I tried to warn you.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He threw Derek through the glass that shielded the receptionist desk and a sense of de ja vu hit her like a truck. The Alpha had done the same thing last Wednesday night and she felt a jarring sense of being trapped overwhelm her. Because here she was in the exact same situation. The creature responsible for terrorizing her to the point of preventing herself from breathing was right there in human form. And there wasn’t a jeep that she could hide in, not in here. She now knew how her friends felt when they hid from him in the school that night. And it was a terror that surpassed what she felt in the jeep because now she would have a face to put to the name **The Alpha**. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As Peter disappeared to go after a crawling Derek, she leaned her head back against the cabinet, clutching at her heart as she struggled to breathe calmly. Stiles straightened up from beside her, sensing the change and put his hands on her shoulders, “Oh god, you’re having one here? Right now!?” 

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She wanted to clock him in the face and scream, _this is a good a time as any, buddy!_

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But that would require her to actually move her arms, something she found she couldn’t do. In fact she couldn’t move at all and she told her friend that in fearful stutters. 

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“Shhhhh,” he went to cover her mouth, making her heart beat faster. 

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_Keep quiet. Don’t breathe. Breathe and he’ll hear you. Breathe and he’ll hear you._

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Stiles dragged her behind a desk and leaned down, “I’ll be back in a minute. I need to make sure that Derek’s not gonna go die on us.” 

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She nodded frantically, shuffling under so her back hit the board of the desk as she kept her hand over her mouth. She was back in that jeep, trying to survive for a few more minutes before the Alpha would find her and she would inevitably die. It was bright this time, and the floor was cold and instead of her friends running off in a separate direction, Stiles left her lying there. 

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She tried to breathe, God did she try but she couldn’t. Her hand wouldn’t move from her mouth and it somehow ended up covering her nose as well. Until something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. It was new wallpaper that the hospital was putting up to add a dash of ‘color’ to the previously sterile white theme that many hospitals had taken to. White meant purity, cleanliness, sterility and health. 

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As her eyes locked onto the blue wallpaper, she tried to think of all the things blue meant to her. 

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The color of the sky on a clear, sunny day. The sudden calm of water. The deep set of Isaac’s eyes as he looked at her with concern, with care, with consideration. 

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Blue was the color of freedom. Blue was the color of calm. Blue was the color of faith. 

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She felt her heart beat slow down as a memory of a lilted voice whispered in her ear. 

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_“Nessa, breathe for me.”_

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She inhaled and exhaled once. 

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_“That’s it, breathe for me.”_

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She repeated the motion as she tried to balance herself on unsteady hands. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“Come on, Ness. Breathe for me.”_

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She breathed long and deep, sitting up to lean against the wooden desk. 

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_“One more time, Ness. **BREATHE**.”_

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She heaved forward, gasping deep breaths of air as she looked around, eyes wide and focused. 

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Even miles away, he was saving her from herself. Too bad, he’ll never save her again. She was really looking forward to watching his game and once he found out she didn’t go; he was going to hate her. Maybe, one day, she would be able to explain to him that she wanted nothing more than to be cheering for him that night. 

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Footsteps vanished any of her fragile bravery as she scurried underneath the desk and peaked her head around the corner. Peter walked past, his trench coat waving behind him as he twirled the keys he pulled from the nurse around his finger. It was the owner of the second set of footsteps that made her blood run cold as Derek, now healed from his wounds and stiff in the spine, walked behind him. She whimpered, slapping her hand on her mouth quickly as he stopped. She watched as he glanced over his shoulder and met her eyes. She saw nothing, just a blank stare as he looked at her. He didn’t see her; he saw through her and it was like she wasn’t even there to him. 

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He kept walking out the door after his uncle and disappearing from sight as Stiles came out of nowhere five minutes later, breathing heavily as he scrambled to hold onto the desk. 

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“Ness, Ness, Derek’s with – “ 

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“He’s with Peter,” she finished for him, eyes still fixed on the door the two werewolves left through as she heaved herself up onto the desk and looked at her friend with determination. 

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“We gotta warn Scott.” 

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That’s how the two teenagers ended up back at the school twenty minutes later, the lacrosse game over and everybody going out to celebrate as they sprinted around the corner and into the locker room where their best friend sat, hands clasped in front of him wearing nothing but a towel. 

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“Dude, we have a **huge** program,” Stiles warned, bent over as he panted heavily. 

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“Trust me, I know,” Scott responded, eyes dark and serious. 

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“So, they got here before we did,” Vanessa assumed, sighing as she leaned back against the doorway. 

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“How did this even happen?” Stiles threw his hands up incredulously, “How the hell is half burnt Uncle Peter the freakin’ Alpha?” 

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“It makes sense,” the girl nodded from behind him, “The Alpha wanted revenge, seemed to be killing people who were involved or connected to the Hale fire and since there was only three survivors – one of whom was dead – it had to be either Derek or Peter. It wasn’t Derek, so that left Peter. And besides, it would make sense why he would want revenge. He did have to spend six years slowly healing from being burnt alive.” 

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“Why is Derek helping him?” her friend asked from the bench. 

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Stiles rolled his eyes before exclaiming, “Because it’s Derek? The guy was always five seconds off being a freakin’ psycho, but did you listen to me? No!” 

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“ _Stiles _,” Vanessa snapped, “You’re not helping.”__

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The girl turned back to Scott, answering his question, “Peter told Derek that he only wants to take revenge against the ones responsible.” 

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“Yeah, that’s what Peter told me too. He said he would spare Allison and you guys if I helped him go after the Argents,” Scott explained. 

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“Did they really come here and give you the sales selling point that ‘ _murder is fun _’?” Stiles scrunched up his nose, throwing his hands out before asking, “You turned them down thought, right?”__

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“Yeah!” Scott nodded, before turning his head away. 

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Vanessa felt her bones ache and she wanted nothing more than to go home as she said, “Look, we can’t do anything else tonight. They’re probably long gone, and with Derek still a known fugitive they won’t be making any appearances in public. Scott, if they meet with you again, keep them talking and find out what they’re planning so we can figure out what to do. I’m heading home because quiet frankly, I’m too tired to be dealing with any of this.” 

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She turned on her heel, walking out of the locker room and to the carpark as she dialed Sarah’s number, asking her if she could pick her up. When the older woman arrived, she had a big smile as she questioned her daughter about the game. 

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“Actually, Mom,” she began, head hanging, “I didn’t make it to the game.” 

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“What? I thought you were looking forward to it, kiddo?” 

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“I was but I asked Stiles to take me and I thought I could handle being driven around in his jeep but I had a panic attack and he had to pull over so not only did I miss out on watching Isaac’s game – which I told him I would do – I also caused Stiles to miss his first game ever!” she cried, sighing as she blamed everything on herself even though it was a lie. But she would rather tell lies about herself than hear the lies everybody else came up with. 

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Sarah put grabbed her hand, “Hey, hey, I’m sure the two boys don’t blame you. Just explain to Isaac what happened, and everything will be forgiven. Are you okay now though – because that’s what matters most to me, personally.” 

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Vanessa nodded her head, tightening her grip on her mother’s hand as she smiled weakly, “I’m fine now.” 

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The girl leaned back in her seat, sighing as she realized tonight would be spent doing damage control and she would be too tired the next day to even think about schoolwork. 

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“Hey, Mom?” 

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Sarah hummed back, “Yeah, what’s up?” 

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“Can I stay home tomorrow?” 

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The older woman gave her a quick once over, considering it for a moment before nodding, “If that’s what you need, that will fine. Just make sure to stay up to date on your work, okay?” 

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“Thanks. You’re the best, you know that right?” 

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“Oh shucks. You don’t have to sweet talk me, you know? I already said you could stay home.” 

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“I mean it though, Mom. You’re the best.” 

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Sarah smiled softly as they pulled into the driveway, putting a hand on the girl’s arm when they were about to walk inside, “Are you going to be okay tonight?” 

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“If I’m not, I will come to you and Lisa,” Vanessa reassured her before opening the door and walking into the house. 

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The first thing she did was take a hot shower, wanting to scrub off the fear that still clung to her like a parasite after the incident at the hospital. She couldn’t get over the blank look in Derek’s eyes, and knew that it wasn’t right. He couldn’t forgive Peter that easily, not when his anchor was literally the emotion anger. Anger for the fire, yes, but also anger for Laura’s death. There had to be something to it, something else going on here that she and the boys weren’t aware of and it was this burning sensation on missing out on something that made her dial his number first, not surprised when she got his voicemail. 

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She sighed, before continuing with what she was planning to say, “Derek, it’s Vanessa. I know that you might think tonight looked bad, but I understand. He’s your family and despite what he has done, you two share a common goal. You both want those responsible for the fire to pay and I support you. They should be brought to justice. Just be careful not confuse justice with revenge because it’s a slippery slope that we all find ourselves slipping on. You once told Scott that your kind were predators, but you didn’t have to be killers. Remember those words, Derek. Also, I don’t blame you for leaving me at the hospital. Don’t feel bad and know you can always call me if you need anything.” 

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She ended the voicemail, confident that she sent the right message across. Did she really support the two werewolves going out and slaughtering her friend’s family? _No fucking way _. She was cunning, not sadistic. Kate may deserve jail time for what she did, but she didn’t deserve to die – she didn’t deserve to leave the members of her family behind to clean up the messes she made. Just because one person broke the code, doesn’t mean that all the hunters were like that. She knew that if Allison ever became a hunter, she would never go after someone who didn’t deserve it. Who was innocent. Which led to her being the second person Vanessa called that night. Unlike Derek, the girl actually answered her call.__

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“Hello?” Allison answered, voice hushed like she was whispering and didn’t want to be overheard. 

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“Hey, it’s me. Is everything okay?” she asked, brows furrowing with worry. Was her friend in trouble? 

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“I need to tell you something because I don’t know what to do,” the girl replied. 

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“You can tell me anything, you know that Allie.” 

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“My dad and aunt came home late tonight, and I overheard them talking about this arrowhead my dad was apparently using. Kate made it sound like it wasn’t an ordinary arrowhead and now I’ve got in in my room and don’t know what to do. I want to find out what my dad is up to, but I’m also not sure if I want to find out either.” 

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Vanessa knew that the arrowhead was probably one of those flash bomb arrows Argent was using the night before to take down Derek and paused. If she told Allison to investigate more, she was risking her friend being drawn into the conflict and finding out everything, including Scott’s secret. On the other hand, if she was informed about everything, it would take the Argent’s attention away from hunting her friends and onto training their daughter. And if Allison could be turned onto their side, they could possibly have an in with the Argents and come to an understanding. Secretly though, she wanted her friend to know so she didn’t have to keep lying. So, Scott wouldn’t have to keep lying. 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was uncertain but determined as she replied, “I think you should find out more and confront your dad. Secrets aren’t healthy in the family.” 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re right,” the girl agreed, voice becoming steely. 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did you want me to come with you? We could check it out together?” Vanessa offered. 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I would totally take you up on that, but I promised Lydia that I’d go shopping with her.” 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Lydia, aye?” the brunette raised a brow at that. Allison must’ve sensed her confusion because the girl sighed into the phone. 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I take it you know about what happened between her and Scott then?” 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yep,” Vanessa popped wit her mouth, shaking her head as she said, “Almost knocked him out when I found out.” 

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She neglected to mention that she actually _did _knock the guy out but it wasn’t relevant at that moment. Besides, he deserved it and she apologized for taking out her anger through violent actions and they all agreed she needed therapy. Everybody was friends and that was that. Allison was still holding grudges though as she growled into the phone.__

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just can’t believe that they did that!” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

An evil smile appeared on Vanessa’s lips as she drawled, “If you want to get her back, I know how.” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I already punished Scott and Lydia shouldn’t get away with doing something like that. Especially to someone she’s friends with,” Vanessa reasoned as she jumped onto her bed, “So here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to ‘run a little errand’ through the preserve tomorrow and bring her along with you before going shopping. Then you’re going to tell her that Jackson asked you to the winter formal and that you didn’t think she’d mind because she hooked up with Scott in the Coach’s office. Then you’re going to pull out that big ass bow that I saw in your house that one time I came over and test the arrowhead you found.” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That doesn’t really sound like something I would do – “ 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Put it this way. You test out the arrowhead and you show off your mad archery skills so Lydia thinks twice before making out with the guy you like ever again,” Vanessa argued, smiling sweetly as she asked, “You think you can do that?” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl hesitated until her friend’s rang truer and truer, hardening resolve as she answered with finality, “You know what? I think I will do it. Thanks Ness.” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No problem, girl. Have fun.” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With that she clicked off the phone, grinning wickedly to herself. If there is one thing Vanessa was great at, it was spinning the truth like a spinster spins thread. The truth was her weapon, her thread to pull and to weave for the greater good…….and sometimes for fun, like she was doing now. If it all worked out, nobody would get hurt, someone would be a little scared and someone else will totally have revenge for someone pulling a big dick move on them. Everybody wins – kind of. 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Speaking of winning, the next person she called was the boy who had the ability to make all evil plans disappear and make her heart thump like a rabbit on crack as she tapped her foot nervously, waiting for him to pick up the phone. Please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad, please don’t be mad. 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello?” 

__________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she groaned internally, _why the fuck does he sound so hot?_

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey,” she smiled hesitantly, “Before you hang up on me, allow me to explain. I’m so sorry that I missed out on your game and trust me, I have a really good excuse though.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa – “ 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Just let me get this out,” she cut him off, pleadingly, “I was actually on the way, although I was running late because I was trying to find something to wear – I have nothing red which is ridiculous, like, what girl doesn’t own red?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa – “ the boy tried again, before she began rushing. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Stiles picked me up and I honestly thought that I was going to be fine riding in his jeep but I just hopped in and I don’t know what happened! I couldn’t breathe and he stopped his car and we just sat there on the side of the road and he didn’t know how to help me because it seems like only you have that magic power and when I snapped out of it, it was half an hour later and Stiles missed out on his first game, which made me feel that much worse and – “ 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **VANESSA** ,” Isaac interrupted, making her breathe hitch in her throat as she answered back timidly. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m not mad at you,” he said softly, and she felt her heart melt because if she was him, she’d be so fucking pissed off. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re not?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No. I knew you’d probably have a good reason and you do.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She gaped at the phone, wondering where on earth this guy came from. Did someone make him in a factory and just send him to the wrong home? 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sorry but how are you so fucking sweet?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The boy’s nervous laugh poured out through the phone and if she wasn’t already on the brink of paradise, his laughter pushed her off into dreamland full of gentleness and sweet laughter and – 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, I’m being serious,” Vanessa shook her head out of her thoughts as she said, “Why aren’t you angry at me?” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I told you, I knew you would have a good reason.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I would have told me to shove my reasons up my ass by now. Actually, I would have hung up on me by now.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do you want me to hang up on you?” his teasing tone caused a dopey grin on her face. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, but I still think I should make it up to you somehow.” 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ideas came rushing at her, but one idea had more merit to her than the rest as her conversation with Allison flashed through her mind. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really, you don’t have to – “ 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Did you want to go to the winter formal with me?” she blurted out before instantly regretting asking when the line went silent on the other side. 

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Vanessa had never wanted to rip out her own tongue in her life but hey, there was a first time for everything! She couldn’t just ask him out like that! There were rules for a reason and she just danced around them when she asked him that. 

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_God, why did you give me too much prettiness and not enough brain cells?_

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__It was like she just became Jackson but with Stiles’ tact. She could never show her face around him again. That was it! She was moving to Antartica and hopefully those climate change people were right, and she could just float away until the little iceberg melted and sent her into the sea to be lost forever, like that lost city Atlantis. That was her new town now, and nothing and no one would be able to convince her to come back._ _

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“Yes,” Isaac answered after a long moment of silence as he repeated, “Yes, I would love to go to the formal with you.” 

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And with that, one thing and one person convinced her to disregard all plans of running away. 

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She stammered out her reply like an idiot, too elated to chastise herself as she said, “Okay, cool, yeah, thank you. Um, so that was me, making it up to you. You’re welcome. I mean – “ 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ah, yep, yep. I get what you mean – “ 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yep, I thought so. So that’s – “ 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So, we’re good?” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We’re good.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two went silent before bursting out laughing, Vanessa falling back onto her bed as she smiled dreamily, “I really am sorry though.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s okay,” Isaac replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice as he murmured, “You’re making it up to me.” 

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“Yes I am,” she laughed, rolling onto her stomach as she remembered suddenly, “Also congratulations on your win. I heard you're competing in States!” 

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“Yeah,” he replied, his excitement stuttering out as loud noises cracked in the background and his voice turned to panic as he replied, “Look, Vanessa, I have to go but I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” 

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“See you – “ 

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The line cut before she could finish her sentence, stomach dropping and smile vanishing as her mind jumped to the worst. She could have sworn she heard Isaac’s dad yelling in the background at him and she didn’t want to imagine the horrible things her friend would be put through tonight. She went to Sarah and Lisa’s room and sat on their bed as she admitted, “I think we should help Isaac. I think we should get him out of that house.” 

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The deputy sat down and looked into her daughter’s eyes, “I think we should too, kid. But that process is long and hard, and it will require your friend’s cooperation. I can start building a case against his dad, maybe talk to a few people in his neighborhood to see if they have seen anything but it will be much easier with Isaac’s statement that something is going on in that house.” 

______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Do whatever you can, Mom,” Vanessa pleaded, phone still held tightly in her hand, “I want him out of that house.”

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	24. Fashion Advice from the Big Bad Wolf Himself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You disconnect from the world for a few days and life goes to absolute shit without her.
> 
> This was how Vanessa knew that if she wanted to come back to a civilization that wasn't totally hazed by hunters and werewolves alike, she couldn't leave it for a vacation anytime soon.
> 
> Derek's been taken by hunters, Scott was shot up but too concerned with finding a way to go to formal (no surprise there), Isaac is being extra adorable with a cherry on top and Stiles might just get a date with the girl of his dreams.
> 
> If Peter Hale doesn't kill them all first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter x 
> 
> Also for anyone who wants to point out that Peter would literally rip out someone's throat, I'm building up some questions and suspicious subtext that keeps ya'll on your toes. Also, with the way he dresses, you can't tell me that he wouldn't totally help a girl out just to avoid witnessing a fashion disaster ;)
> 
> Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

It was the next night and Vanessa thought that she might finally have a whole day where she didn’t have to deal with werewolf drama when her phone rang. The breath left her body in the world’s biggest sigh as she slowly turned and plucked up her phone from where it was set on her charger, answering the call with an eyeroll as she greeted, “What?” 

“Peter is going on a date with my mom.” 

Vanessa blinked. And blinked again. The girl blinked until it looked like she was trying to get an eyelash out of her eye as she lunged up from her bed with a stricken, pale look on her face, “I beg your fucking pardon.” 

“Peter just arrived at my door and took my mom on what she thinks is a date. He told me he’s going to bite her.” 

The girl took a deep breath as her stomach dropped at the thought of that fucking psycho laying one hand on her godmother and directed Scott on what to do, “Alright, get Stiles to pick you up and tell him to get your mom out of that car no matter what. I need to do something, but I’ll call you back, okay?” 

She hung up before she could hear his reply and called Derek. This time she didn’t settle for his voice mail as she kept ringing and ringing until he answered, snapping, “ **WHAT?!** ” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something?!” she snapped back, growling into the phone as started yelling, “Remember how I said before I forgave you and I supported you. Well, that’s been all blown to hell when your nutcase of an uncle decided to broaden his horizons and went after Scott’s mom! She might be a pawn to you and Peter so you can get Scott on your side, but you didn’t count on her meaning something to all of us. If Peter so much as lay a finger on Melissa, I will go to Argent and tell him _everything _. I’ll even give up my best friend because I know he’d rather be shot down by a million fucking arrows than let his mother get caught up in this shit show you’ve caused! You hear me, Derek? Back off or I will go to everyone where exactly they can find the fugitive they’ve been looking for.”__

____

“Wait, what?” Derek asked, and she heard someone whimper in the background as he questioned her, “What are you talking about?” 

____

Vanessa gaped at the phone before bursting out laughing, “That’s fucking rich! He didn’t tell you? Peter is planning on turning Melissa, so Scott joins his pack.” 

____

“No, he said that he would – “ 

____

“What? Spare the innocent? Melissa is the most innocent person in the fucking world, you dirtbag. And your uncle went for her like a lion goes for a lamb. Or is it a wolf? Would make more sense, I guess. You once told me that Peter was barely human anymore. Wolves don’t make promises, Derek. And they sure as hell don’t keep them.” 

____

A shout in the background caught her attention as the man sighed, a voice that sounded distinctly familiar in a way that made her roll her eyes every time she heard it. Only a few people made her pull that face just by speaking alone and her eyes widened in realization. 

____

“Derek,” she said quietly, “Why are you with Jackson Whittemore right now?” 

____

She heard the sound of sobbing and felt anger burst within her at Derek’s silence as she exclaimed, “ **WHERE ARE YOU, ASSHOLE!?** ” 

____

“I’m sorry, Vanessa,” she heard him apologize regretfully before the line cut off. 

____

The girl grabbed her pillow and screamed into it before tossing it away violently and dialing up Scott’s number. 

____

“I heard. I’m dealing with it,” was all he said before he hung up on her too. 

____

She was getting pretty fucking sick of werewolves hanging up on her and decided that she was angry enough to take out the battery in her phone and throw it into her drawers. And that is what she did before going to sleep that night, letting the wolves fight amongst themselves while sheep like herself slept soundly in their beds. Little did she know the hell that broke loose after she decided to cut off ties from everyone she knew on the night when they needed her the most. 

____

\- 

____

Funny how time flies by when you’re not fearing for your life because before she knew it, it was Tuesday and she was parking her car next to Stiles’ blue jeep as they both got out of their cars to walk up to car together. 

____

“Ness, where the hell have you been?” he asked her before she even fully got out of the car, “I’ve been trying your phone all weekend and you didn’t show up on Friday or yesterday. I thought you were dead!” 

____

“Obviously not, because I don’t see you on the ground in inconsolable grief. Don’t lie to me, man,” she retorted as she locked her car and headed for the front steps. Stiles floundered around from behind her. 

____

“Okay, so I didn’t think you were _dead _dead. But a lot happenedand no one could get a call through to you, so I was obviously worried!”__

______ _ _

“I took my battery out of my phone.” 

______ _ _

“You took – you took your battery out of your phone?!” he cried, throwing his hands up in the air, “Why the hell would you do such a thing?” 

______ _ _

“Because some of us like to disconnect from the world, Stiles. You should try it.” 

______ _ _

“Why did you have to disconnect when our best friend got shot up by hunters who took Derek?” 

______ _ _

Vanessa stopped in the middle of the road, ignoring the beeping of car horns as she turned to her friend. 

______ _ _

“What the hell did you just say?” 

______ _ _

Stiles took her arm and led her off the road so that their classmates could park their cars, turning towards her as he ran a hand through his hair, “Yeah, Derek was taken. Scott passed out in the forest and ended up in Deaton’s clinic. Peter apparently came in and threw some chairs around while evil villain monologuing and now Scott’s going crazy thinking that Peter’s going after Allison.” 

______ _ _

The girl beside him started to twitch in her left eyes as she sucked on her teeth, popping her lips as she nodded, “Yeah, that’s definently the last time I disconnect.” 

______ _ _

“Good idea,” he agreed as they made their way through the front doors of the high school and down the hall just as the bell rang for homeroom, “Look, I have lacrosse up first but I’ll meet you before we go to Economics. There’s more.” 

______ _ _

“No kidding,” she rolled her eyes sarcastically as they went their separate ways. 

______ _ _

She was late again, of course, and Harris was giving her that look like he wanted to do something that would give any normal child years of trauma but Vanessa wasn’t a normal child and she just wasn’t having it. She went over to his desk and leaned down so she could look him in the eye. 

______ _ _

“Listen, sir, respectfully I know I’m late, and believe me I’m working on it, but for now on, you’re not going to be giving me any shit for it,” she said, grinning as he flinched and opened his mouth to tell her off, “Because guess what. You keep getting on my fucking back and I will tell Derek Hale why his sister was looking for you. Blackmailing a teacher might be a criminal offence but so is being an accomplice to arson. Have a good day.” 

______ _ _

The girl patted the desk before sitting down, flashing her eyes daringly at the teacher whose eyes were widened in fear at her. Stiles told her what her dad found out two nights after Peter went after Harris at the school and she had been holding it in since then, almost bursting out with it every time the asshole threw a malicious grin her way or a snarky comment about how her ‘god-blessed’ boyfriend wouldn’t like it if she was late all the time. He deserved this. Was she an awful person? Maybe. Was Harris an awful person? Fuck yes! 

______ _ _

Isaac had taken his seat in front of her and she had to literally bite her lips to keep from squealing nervously as she tapped his shoulder, waiting until he had turned around before asking, “So, I was wondering. Did you want me to pick you up on Friday or did you want to meet me there?” 

______ _ _

His mouth gaped open a bit at her before he composed himself, stuttering out, “I-I’m f-fine with you picking me up. We co-could get something to eat beforehand, ma-maybe?” 

______ _ _

“Yeah?” she grinned, settling back in her seat as she nodded, “Sounds great.” 

______ _ _

“Um,” he began, blushing slightly and running a hand through his curls as he asked, “What colour is the dress?” 

______ _ _

“Um, I don’t know yet. But I can text you the colour when I find out, if that’s okay.” 

______ _ _

“Sure. Sounds good.” 

______ _ _

“Okay, great.” 

______ _ _

The two turned away from each other, grinning with bright eyes and pink cheeks. The bell rang once more to signal that it was time for first period as the two got up at the same time, heading in the same direction before colliding. 

______ _ _

“Shit, sorry,” she apologized, going to slide the other way at the same time as Isaac. 

______ _ _

“My bad,” he shook his head before moving to go around her at the same time she went to move around him. 

______ _ _

“Alright, how about this,” she suggested, placing her hands on his shoulders to keep him still as she moved in front of him, her chest brushing against his and causing warmth to spread as she walked out, waving behind her with a grin. 

______ _ _

Erica joined her seconds later on the way to the roof where they spent free periods and already had a small smile on her face as she asked, “I just overheard. You’re going to the winter formal with him?” 

______ _ _

“Yeah, I asked him last week and he said yes. Are you going?” 

______ _ _

“Me?” she shook her head, waving her hands, “No way. I’m staying home and binge-watching Criminal Minds until I pass out.” 

______ _ _

“Oh, come on!” Vanessa pleaded, grabbing onto her friend’s hands as they walked up the stairs, “You got to come with!” 

______ _ _

“Maybe next year?” the girl offered, pulling her hands away as she looked down at her feet, “I don’t feel like going to this one.” 

______ _ _

Vanessa immediately caught on and nodded, accepting her friend’s decision to miss out, “Okay, okay. But if you change your mind, I have this dress that would look beautiful on you.” 

______ _ _

“Thanks for the offer but trust me when I say, not this year.” 

______ _ _

“Maybe some other time then?” 

______ _ _

“Sure.” 

______ _ _

It was funny because when Erica said sure, she sounded like she was saying _not ever _. Vanessa wasn’t going to let her best friend keep shrinking away from living her life to the fullest forever but until she felt like she was ready, she would respect her friend’s decisions. Still, it played on her mind all through their free period that someone as beautiful and smart as Erica shouldn’t have to shy away from life because some asshole thinks that she’s not good enough. Assholes don’t know shit about her friend or anything for that matter – and she would prove it to her one of these days.__

________ _ _ _ _

Just not right now as she was heading for Economics because sometimes life likes to throw problems at you, not caring if you’re already juggling three. Funny how most of her problems weren’t actually her problems but actually the problems of the two boys who were too busy peering around the corner of the hallway at something she couldn’t see to notice her appear beside them. When she looked around Scott’s shoulder, she sighed internally. 

________ _ _ _ _

Why the fuck did Jackson look so sweaty? And why was he asking Allison to the formal when she thought that he had already done so? Why was Scott looking semi-cool with it? 

________ _ _ _ _

“What the **hell** is going on here?” she exclaimed, causing the two boys to jump and quickly shut her up by clamping their hands around her mouth and pulling her out of sight as she struggled. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Remember how I told you that Allison was in danger and there was more to tell you? The more to tell you was our plan. And our plan is to get Jackson to go to formal with her,” Stiles explained with a tight-lipped smile as if he didn’t actually like the plan at all. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Why isn’t Scott taking her?” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Because I’m not allowed to go,” Scott muttered grumpily, turning to glare at Jackson and Allison as he explained, “I’m failing too many classes and Coach won’t let me quit the team, so he banned me from going to formal.” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Hey, don’t worry. I’ll still be there,” Stiles clapped a hand onto their friend’s shoulder as he said reassuringly. 

________ _ _ _ _

“I’m still going,” Scott insisted, eyes trained on the girl he loved and the guy he almost hated. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Is that a good idea?” Vanessa frowned. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Do you even have a date?” Stiles asked because that was what was most important. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Do you?” the girl beside him scoffed, which caused the boy to turn to her with his brow raised. 

________ _ _ _ _

“ _Do you _?” he mimicked, turning around and shaking his head.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Actually, I do,” she smirked, watching as the two boys turned to her in bewilderment. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **WHO?** ” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’ll see,” Vanessa replied vaguely before heading into Economics. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Later that day, she was sitting in the cafeteria, going over her homework and eating sushi when two trays appeared on either side of her. Expecting to see Scott and Stiles, she smiled in confusion when Lydia and Allison sat down beside her. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We’re going dress shopping after school. Wanna come with?” the dark-haired girl smiled sweetly. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The strawberry blonde on the other side scoffed, “Does she even have a date?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I do, actually,” Vanessa smirked, taking a bite of sushi as she turned to Lydia, wondering why everyone was so fucking surprised that she had a date to the winter formal. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Who?” the girl snarked, eyes narrowing at her. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You might know him actually. His name’s Isaac Lahey. He’s actually on your boyfriend’s lacrosse team.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ex-boyfriend,” Lydia corrected, giving her that same once over she did on the first day back before pursing her lips, “In or out.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“In. Thanks for the invite,” the brunette grinned wickedly, eyes flashing as she finished off her food. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Which was how she ended up at the mall with the two girls in Macy’s looking at Stiles, who was sniffing his head off at the perfume display as Allison got her revenge, “Him.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa hid a grin behind her hand as Allison said, “Don’t frown, Lydia. Someone could be falling in love with your smile.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Little did the girl know that Stiles had fallen in love with Lydia’s smile, face, hair, brain, heart and soul about ten years ago. Lydia glared up at the dark-haired girl before cocking her head, considering the boy who had just noticed them standing there with cunning eyes. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles smiled at them, waving his hand to say hi with an awkward smile. Vanessa watched as Lydia beckoned him to her and the poor boy followed obediently, a look of awe spreading across his face as they headed to the dress section. Vanessa threw her head back laughing as Allison smiled down at her. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You do know he’s been in love with her forever, right?” Vanessa pointed out. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?” the dark-haired girl grimaced, “Damn, I feel bad.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Please, Stiles can handle her insults and dismissal. Has been since third grade. It’s Lydia I feel bad for.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Is he that bad?” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, no!” the brunette rushed to explain, leaning in close with her eyes on the two, “It’s because when she realizes Stiles has always seen all of her and loved her because of it, her whole world is going to fall apart.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa took the taller girls hand, leading her to where the two of them were and flashing a grin as she said, “Come on. I wanna find a nice dress to impress my date.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Your date?!” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She ignored the silent question, darting around the corner to check the dark dresses when she heard a familiar voice, “That’s not your color.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa felt herself freeze, peeking around the corner as Peter shook his head at a dress Allison was holding in her hands, “Sorry if that was intrusive, but considering your skin tone, I’d go lighter.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Cause I’m pale?” her friend nodded, an understanding smile appearing on her face. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Peter smiled too, all teeth as he corrected her, “ _Fair _. I mean you can’t call skin like yours pale. Not skin that perfect.”__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Who knew that Uncle Peter was such a fashion guru._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison laughed, as she put the dress back on the rack, “Okay.” 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Trust me I have a _unique _perspective on the subject,” Peter stated, turning around and taking a silver satin dress off the rack from behind him, picking up Allison’s hand to compare the skin tone as he added, “Do you mind?”__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He inspected the two while her friend stood there uncomfortable before looking up and cocking a grin, “See? Much better.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa summoned as much courage as she could and stepped out from behind the rack, strutting over with a confidence she did not possess as she smirked at the man, “What would you recommend for me? I’m personally leaning towards the darker colours myself but since you seem like such an expert.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Peter’s eyes flashed in interest as he considered the girl he knew to be one of Scott’s friends, a sly smirk forming on his lips as he answered, “What’s the occasion? High school dance?” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was about to shrug, not wanting to give anything away when Allison timidly replied, “Formal.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The short brunette was getting antsy, seeing why Scott was concerned Peter was going to go after Allison and she did the dumbest thing she could think of to protect her friend. She grabbed the man before her by the leather jacket and led him away, yammering on about skin tones and colours until they were far enough that his eyes could flick red without being noticed. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No,” she raised a shaking finger, before breathing in deep, “No Alpha eyes at me, mister. Because of you, I have a life time worth of trauma. That means you owe me the courtesy of helping me dress shop.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _What? _”__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That’s right,” Vanessa nodded, heart beating so fast she thought it might hurt the werewolf’s enhanced hearing as she continued, “You gave Allison great advice. You’re gonna give me some now.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You do realize I could snap your neck quicker than you could scream for help?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m gonna scream for better fashion advice if you don’t hurry the **hell** up. I just heard my ride was getting towed, so I don’t exactly have all the time in the world.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You _don’t _have all the time in the world,” Peter growled, sharp teeth glinting in the bright lights.__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Can you stop threatening me for five fucking seconds please?!” 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Excuse me _– “__

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re excused. But not from helping pick out a dress. Then you can get on with your plans of revenge and yada yada yada.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Peter drew back and frowned at her, fangs disappearing as he observed out loud, “You’re a strange one, aren’t you. I can smell your fear practically spilling out of your pores and yet you’re still standing in front of me.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Believe me, I’m as surprised as you are. You scare the hell out of me, but I really do need help,” she sighed, breathing out with shuddering breaths, “So could you please just help me out?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The Alpha sighed heavily, snatching up her hand and pulling her close as he stared at her with a predatory glint in his eyes that almost made her pass out than and there when he reached a hand behind him to pull out a dark blue dress that fell to just above the knee and tied at the back of the neck. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“This one,” Peter purred, pressing it up against her body, “it goes with your eyes. And contrasts well with your hair.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He pulled away, dropping the dress in her hands as he walked off without saying a word. She let out shuddering breaths, leaning against the pillar as Scott raced towards her. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nessa,” he exclaimed, kneeling in front of her and brushing away her hair as she gasped out, “Why the hell would you confront him like that?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I was trying to draw him away from Allison,” she explained between heavy panting, “I knew the only way to do that was piss him off.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re lucky he didn’t follow through with that threat about snapping your neck.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He put an arm around her waist, helping her up as they headed out of the store and to her car, helping her inside and leaning down with a look of concern, “Are you going to be okay?” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah,” she nodded, smiling up at him although her hands clutched the wheel until her fist turned white, “Go after her.” 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded back at her before racing off and Vanessa leaned her head against the wheel, thanking every being that was involved in keeping her alive throughout that entire encounter with the big bad wolf.

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	25. A Night We'll Never Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a moment, they had it all.  
> Unfortunately, all good things come to an end.  
> But the night was only beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that were featured in this chapters:  
> \- Domino by Jessie J  
> \- Airplanes by B.o.B  
> \- Four Minutes by Madonna  
> \- Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding  
> \- Shut Up and Dance by WALK THE MOON  
> \- Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls  
> \- Mirror by Justin Timberlake.
> 
> P.S I had no clue when I wrote the chapter that Shut Up and Dance didn't come out until 2014. I chose the song because I thought that it was a pretty fun song and one I can imagine the two dancing to, it's one of my favorites. And I was definently disappointed when I found out that it wouldn't make sense for it to be playing at a Winter Formal in 2011.  
> But a lot of stuff doesn't make fucking sense about Teen Wolf and there's a ton of plot holes I can fix up to make up for this - because i'm too lazy to change the scene.
> 
> P.P.S for anyone curious Iris is a song that I thought fits the couple well and I have now dubbed it their song so keep a look out for it in the future. That moment was important for them and it fucking shows.
> 
> P.P.P.S I wanted italics for the song but unfortunately, we cant always get what we fucking want.

Vanessa O’Connor, the girl who faced down the likes of Peter and Derek Hale and lived to tell about it, was nervous about tonight. She even almost talked herself out of going before she snapped herself out of it. God, why were her palms shaking? She hadn’t even gotten out of the shower yet and she was already feeling like she was going to pass out from nerves alone. 

“Vanessa!” she heard Lisa call out to her from behind the bathroom door, “Honey, it’s half past six. Did you wanna come out anytime soon?” 

The girl shut off the water, steeling herself like she was going to war. She could do this. She could totally do this. She towelled herself dry before grabbing the hair dryer. Vanessa hadn’t washed her hair in days, the greasy ringlets now glowing glossy curls that she decided to put half up and half down, before grabbing her dress and tying it up behind her neck. She hated to admit it, but Peter had good taste. The midnight blue dress complimented her creamy skin tone nicely and didn’t clash with her hair but instead gave her a semi-classy look while still maintaining the free and flowy style the dress created. 

Choosing to go for a dark theme to contrast with the dress and jewelry she picked out, she chose silver eyeshadow to brighten her blue eyes and smiled proudly at her work in the mirror. She was never good at doing her makeup, always jabbing herself with the mascara brush too many times. Vanessa chose to go safe with clear gloss, pursing her lips in an imitation of Lydia Martin before exiting the bathroom to find flashing lights in her face. 

“Oh, don’t you look beautiful,” Lisa cooed, holding out her camera in front of her and snapping a few more photos as Sarah leaned on the wall behind her smirking. 

“Isaac is one lucky boy,” the deputy grinned, nodding in approval. 

Vanessa rolled her eyes, blushing, “We’re going as friends, Mom. Just friends.” 

“So you claim,” the woman’s dark eyes narrowed before pointing dramatically, “But your face claims otherwise.” 

“You’re such a dork. I love you,” Lisa beamed before smacking Sarah with a kiss. 

“And you two are adorable. Get out of the road,” she grinned, sliding behind them to go to her room. 

She scrambled around, looking for her black wedged heels before finding them and throwing them on. She picked a little black clutch and threw her phone, purse and lipstick in before grabbing her car keys and heading downstairs where her moms were waiting for her with big goofy smiles and glassy eyes. 

“You’re too beautiful, my darling girl,” Lisa cried, racing up to her and nuzzling her as she murmured, “You get it from me.” 

“Lisa, she’s adopted,” Sarah sighed from behind them, before pulling Lisa away and pressing a kiss to her daughter’s forehead, “Off with you, kiddo, before she jumps in the backseat.” 

“Oh, can I?!” the blonde cried, racing forward again before Sarah caught her around the waist. 

“Drive safe. Be safe. If you’re going to have sex – “ 

“Nanananananana!,” Vanessa exclaimed, pressing her hands to the side of her head, “Not happening. Just friends.” 

“If you’re going to have sex,” Sarah said over the top of her, eyes flashing as if to say don’t lie to me, “make sure he wears a condom and come to us if you need the morning after pill.” 

“Still just friends,” the girl insisted as she waved, closing the front door behind them and making her way to her car and getting inside while muttering, “Passed level one: parental send off. Bring it on level two: pick up date.” 

She took another deep breathe – the tenth one of that hour alone – and pulled out onto the main road while the radio played out, “To all the Beacon Hills kids tonight, here’s a few of our greatest hits to get you in the mood for your winter formal.” 

The opening chords to _Domino _by Jessie J came on and she felt herself relax as she hummed along, tapping her fingers against the wheel in time to the beat.__

____

**Now I'm breathing like I'm running cause you're taking me there**

____

**Don't you know you spin me out of control**

____

Vanessa laughed, singing along to the chorus and started dancing as she took the familiar turns and found herself in Isaac’s neighbourhood when her phone started ringing. She never took her eyes off the road, too busy having flashbacks of running over werewolves, and scrambled for it in her purse next to her. 

____

“What’s up?” she answered, holding her phone between her shoulder and head. 

____

“Hey, how far away are you?” Isaac asked, sounding worried. 

____

“Around the corner. Why, what’s wrong?” she asked, straightening up her seat. 

____

“Nothing! Just pull up and I’ll meet you there,” he directed, before clicking off. 

____

“Oh-kay,” she said to herself, throwing her phone onto the seat beside and parking on the side of the road, a few houses down from Isaac’s. 

____

She should have thought about it earlier. Of course, he would want her to avoid running into his dad. She wondered if the bastard was even letting Isaac go. She wondered what it cost the boy to say yes to her proposal. The sound of the car door opening cut her off from her thoughts as she faced an outer breathe Isaac who was clutching his shirt and looking the way he just came with wide eyes. 

____

Vanessa didn’t need him to say anything, quickly pulling out and onto the street as her eyes flickered to her rear-view mirror to catch a man running towards the car before he eventually became smaller and disappeared the more she gained speed. She heard Isaac panting from beside her but didn’t dare look at him until she got onto the main road. 

____

Isaac’s father had wanted him to work the graveyard shift that night and he had finally found himself standing up to him, insisting that he made plans to go to the formal. His father didn’t like that, preparing to drag him to the basement when he made a run for it. He called Vanessa minutes after, telling her to meet him around the corner. 

____

Now they sat there, silent except for their breathing as the lights of town glinted, flashes of red, blue and gold travelling across their faces. It was at that moment they finally looked at each other and both did a double-take. Vanessa mouth dropped open as she took notice of him for the first time and how unfairly hot he looked in a suit. Messy curls that framed his face, black suit jacket buttoned at his abdomen and the white shirt that peeked out from underneath with the tie loose around his collarbone. His collar peeled back to give her a view of a smooth throat that gulped as he gazed at her in what could only be described as pure and utter wonder. 

____

“You look beautiful,” he stammered out, pink cheeked and still breathing heavily from running from his father. 

____

“So do you,” she muttered, before widening her eyes in realization, “Handsome! I meant handsome.” 

____

“Thanks,” he shied away, smiling faintly as they headed for Burger King, “I’m sorry about that. Making you park around the corner.” 

____

“It’s no trouble,” she waved, smiling sadly before she asked quietly, “Are you sure you wanna go back there tonight?” 

____

Isaac’s eyes widened before facing forward, nodding hesitantly, “I have to. He’ll do worse than chase me if I don’t come back.” 

____

She felt her stomach drop in disappointment and dread at his words, something he saw and quickly tried to amend as he leaned over, “But let’s not talk about that though.” 

____

“Okay,” she nodded, before going through drive through and sending him a cheeky grin as she joked, “Wanna share a coke? Don’t even try and say you don’t want anything.” 

____

The boy sighed before murmuring, “Maybe a raspberry soda?” 

____

“I knew you couldn’t resist,” she taunted playfully, before turning to the machine and putting in an order. 

____

He watched her as they waited for their orders, marvelling at all that Vanessa O’Connor was. How was it that this girl even looked at him, let alone ask him to formal with her when he knew tons of guys that would kill to go out with her? Here she was, driving him around and paying for food, dressed up in that blue dress – don’t think he didn’t catch the symbolism there – and looking like she came out of a movie. A movie about this impossibly beautiful girl who could be anywhere else that night but decided to go to a high school dance with this loser. 

____

Little did he know she was thinking something along the same lines, about how there was this impossibly sweet guy that saved her life countless times over, gave her the strength to stand up straight and break down when she needed to and didn’t judge her for anything. This handsome, athletic lacrosse player whose demons outnumbered her own could have told her to go screw herself when she asked him out, told her to forget making it up to him because she didn’t deserve it. But he didn’t. And she thanked whoever was out there watching over her for letting her spend even minute with him. 

____

After getting their food and heading to the school, the two teenagers laughed and chatted with one another, all the while thanking their lucky stars to be spending the night with each other. They passed the raspberry soda back and forth, joking about the red stains that appeared on their tongue and lips. Vanessa made a bet that she could finish her food first while driving, something the boy readily agreed to – a small glimpse at his competitive side – as they raced to finish their food. Unsurprisingly, she won and gloated about her victory as they pulled into the school parking lot, throwing the rubbish in the bag and then in the back seat. 

____

“You ready for this?” she grinned at him, leaning back and applying gloss as he watched in veiled amusement. 

____

“Are you?” he replied back, a slight quirk of his lips as she rolled her eyes and they got out of the car, coming around to the front where Isaac extended his arm out to her. 

____

“Such a gentleman,” Vanessa laughed, fluttering her eyelashes as she slid her hand in the crook of his arm and headed to the steps along with the rest of their classmates who were arriving. 

____

The front of the school was brightly lit, projectors leaving the imprints of stars in the building as the bass of the music thumped from inside. She grinned up at the boy who smiled down at her adoringly before turning her gaze to the night sky, expecting to see the stars shining back down on her. What she did not expect to see what her best friend creeping along the top of the roof of their school. 

____

Vanessa shrieked, stumbling back as she stared at Scott who was out in the open, technically gate crashing their winter formal. Isaac followed her line of sight and she saw his mouth drop open as he said, “He’s not supposed to be here.” 

____

“Nope,” she popped her lips, holding onto the boy’s arm as she led him up the stairs, “But Scott usually sucks at following the rules.” 

____

Isaac hummed, smiling faintly as they travelled inside, to where _Airplanes _by B.o.B was playing as kids danced with their dates and chattered happily to one another as they bopped along to the beat.__

______ _ _

**Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?**

______ _ _

**I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now.**

______ _ _

“Let’s fine some place to sit for a bit, yeah?” she asked, looking up at Isaac. 

______ _ _

“Yeah, sure,” he nodded, eyes searching over the crowd and catching on the bleachers as he slid his hand into Vanessa’s, “Come on.” 

______ _ _

Isaac led the girl through the crowd and up the benches to the top where he found a little metal space she could put her purse without having to fear it being stolen. With that, they sat down beside each other, looking around and smiling as they tried to find familiar faces in the crowd. Although, for Isaac at least, the only face he kept coming back to was the one beside him, the girl whose blue eyes searched the room with an excited smile on her face. A smile that grew as she saw two girls and their dates enter the room. 

______ _ _

“Allie, Lydia!” she called out, waving her arm at them. The dark-haired girl grinned happily, glad to see someone as eager to have fun as she was. The strawberry blonde gave the waving girl an appraising look, lips pursing in approval at the dress she chose to wear. 

______ _ _

Vanessa turned to Isaac, his wide eyes staring down at her in awe as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “How about you try and steal as much food as you can for us to binge on while I distract everyone with my dashing good looks?” 

______ _ _

“Sounds like a plan,” he agreed, voice breathless in a way that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she balanced her way down to her friends. 

______ _ _

“Hey,” she greeted, hugging Allison and sending a smile to Lydia who seemed to appreciate the fact the girl didn’t just assume they were on hugging terms as Vanessa looked past them at their dates, catching sight of Jackson sneaking sips of a bottle of vodka from his bag, “Which one of you brought this party-pooper?” 

______ _ _

Jackson sent her the finger which she returned with an air kiss as Lydia pointed to Allison, “That would be her.” 

______ _ _

“I really wanna go dance, but my date isn’t as keen,” the dark-haired girl whined as she sent a glare over her shoulder. 

______ _ _

“Why dance with your date when you have two hot girls here, ready and waiting,” Vanessa jokingly winked, gesturing between herself and Lydia as Allison’s face lit up. 

______ _ _

“Really? What about your date?” she asked, searching around for the boy she knew with full certainty was Isaac Lahey. 

______ _ _

“Don’t worry. I plan on dragging him out here at least three times tonight,” the short brunette grinned before snatching the two girls by their hands and leaving their dates in the dust as they immersed themselves in the crowd. 

______ _ _

_Four Minutes _by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake came on and Vanessa smirked at the familiar ticking before she broke out into the dance. Allison and Lydia looked at her shocked as the girl raised her hands up above her head and shook her hips in time to the beat, spinning around them before they joined in. Vanessa was actually a great dancer because contrary to popular belief, you didn’t have to be expertly trained or grow up in an underground nightclub to have a natural sense of rhythm. Her skirt flew up to her thighs as she spun around, linking hands with Allison as she twirled the girl around before turning to meet the same beat as Lydia as they smiled, posing at the last beat before breaking out into laughter.__

________ _ _ _ _

The next song that played was _Starry Eyed _by Ellie Goulding and unbeknownst to the girls, three boys were looking at them in awe as they continued dancing, running their hands through their hair and hitching their skirts up around their mid-thigh seductively as they spun around giggling. Scott was leaning against the bottom of the steps, chin on the bench as his eyes fixed on Allison who threw her head back laughing as Vanessa linked their hands and raised it above their heads, going through the loop they made and getting caught like the goofballs they were before returning to shaking their hips in time to the beat.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Next thing we're touching,**

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**You look at me it's like you hit me with lightning.**

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Stiles was watching Lydia with his usual devotion as the strawberry blonde lost herself in the chorus, shaking her head and glancing around with green eyes under seductively lowered lashes as she laid a hand on Vanessa shoulder while the other girl put her own hand on her waist, matching each other as they spun around causing the boy behind them to see stars. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Oh, everybody's starry eyed, and my body goes whoa oh oh ah ah!**

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isaac was climbing the bleachers back to their spot, arms full of stolen goods when his eyes caught Vanessa’s and he felt his world shift as the girl moved around with her friends like a little flame, daring anyone who wanted to get too close to be burned. The brunette flipped her curls, jumping slightly as she spun, that dark blue skirt licking at her thighs and sending the boy on the bleachers reaching out to steady himself as he, too, found himself entranced. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**So, we burst into colors, colors and carousels,**

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Fall headfirst like paper planes in playground games.**

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girls were having a blast, forgetting about their earlier concerns as the songs went on but Vanessa was not content with letting this high of being a teenager end as her eyes met Isaac’s and she sent him a silent promise that he was going to be joining her soon. The boy must have seen this because his hand immediately went to the railing beside him, cradling packets of chips and even a dip jar – or what looked like dip, God, she hoped it was dip – in his left arm as he turned to travel back up the steps. Vanessa excused herself and headed towards him, catching sight of Scott and Stiles drooling as the girls she left behind continued dancing. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Show me what bounty you returned with!” she exclaimed dramatically as she made her way up to sit beside Isaac, who produced the chips and dip with a proud grin as she squealed, pulling him for a side hug. The girl arranged her dress as she sat sideways so she could face him, legs hang on either side of the bench as she tore open the chip packets and dug in. The boy gazed at her softly as she wolfed down the chips and he felt his heart warm knowing he did this, he made her smile like this. He wanted to do it again. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know,” Vanessa began between bites, waving her twentieth corn chip at him, “you have to go down there at some point.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

She gestured to the dance floor and Isaac felt his stomach dropped, gulping nervously as his eyes darted between the determined eyed girl before him and the pit of writhing bodies that lay beyond the safety of the bleachers. As the determined look in the girl’s eyes hardened in a way that told him she would get what she wanted one way or another, he sighed, preferring to go down there without her having to drag him along behind her. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Okay,” he sighed, before brightening up and gesturing to the packet, “After you finish your packet – “ 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why finish it when I can come back to it later?” Vanessa grinned, brushing off any crumbs she might have dropped on herself as she snatched up his hand and dragged him after her anyway, “Let’s go, Lahey.” 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Shut up and Dance _by WALK THE MOON had started playing on the way down, making the girl jumped as she pulled him to the crowd as the verse began, her pressing in close and taking the lead as she caressed his face.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Oh don't you dare look back,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Just keep your eyes on me,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I said you're holding back,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**She said shut up and dance with me.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa spun out, smirking at the look of awe on his face as he gazed down at her. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**This woman is my destiny.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**She said oh oh oh.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Shut up and dance with me.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The music continued playing as the girl spun back towards him, placing his hand on her waist as she moved their bodies in sync by their joint hands, moving against him in a way that set him on fire and calmed his soul to the point where time stopped where it was just him, her and the music. Vanessa grinned up at the boy and felt warmth spread from all the places they touched, from the palms of their hands to the small of her back and from the air he breathed as he followed her lead. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**We were victims of the night,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**The chemical, physical, kryptonite,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa lifted their hands and spun around underneath, moving so her back leaned against him as she wrapped his arm around the front of her as they swayed before turning back to face him. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

, **Helpless to the bass and the fading light,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Oh we were bound to get together, bound to get together.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She was flashes of his favorite color, the sky of day and night clashing as she kept his eyes on her. She slid a hand up his bicep to rest on his shoulder, pulling him impossibly close as she mouthed the bridge of the song to him. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**She took my arm,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I don't know how it happened,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**We took the floor and she said.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl in front of him jumped back as the chorus broke, a happy, playful grin breaking out onto her face that he returned hesitantly as she started moving fast, the kind of dancing he had seen earlier when she was with her friends. She always seemed to be touching him, light teasing strokes of her fingertips against his cheeks, or the tracing of his shoulders as she spun around him until resting her gentle hands against his arm to return to her original position in front of him, this time with her hands wrapped around his neck as she coaxed him to move with her. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Oh don't you dare look back,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Just keep your eyes on me,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I said you're holding back,**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**She said shut up and dance with me.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**This woman is my destiny.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**She said oh oh oh.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Shut up and dance with me.**

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her body was a siren, lulling his own limbs to move in accordance to her silent will as he found the courage to trace her fingers with his own as the song reached its end, Vanessa smiling stars as she looked into his eyes with this expression that sent chills up his spine in the best way possible. He didn’t know why she was giving him this smile, but he knew that he shouldn’t be questioning a single thing when she looked at him like that. 

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A sudden commotion rocked them both as Coach’s loud voice called out _**McCall** _and Vanessa sighed, coming down from the paradise she had been waltzing into real life where her best friend had to sneak into school dances to make sure his ex-girlfriend didn’t get murdered by the Alpha that turned him into a werewolf. The two teenagers separated to watch the show like everyone else, the boy she had known since diapers darting around the angry teacher and searching for an escape in the form of Danny Mahleani, who was pulled up off the chair he was sitting on and onto the dance floor as Coach came to stand in front of them.__

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The music cut as Coach started laughing nervously, taking notice of everybody staring at him and the scene that looked a bit bad. Isaac and Vanessa joined Allison, holding back laughter as their teacher stuttered, trying to explain his way out of it before he gave up and just told everybody to keep dancing. The two girls exchanged a look, giggling to each other as the music turned back on and Coach’s psychotic laughter died off. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Iris _by the Goo Goo Dolls began playing as Scott thanked Danny and headed for the girl who had been his sole focus for that entire night.__

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa watched as her best friend stammered, “Allison…..” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before he was cut off by her other friend who smiled, “Yes, I would love to dance with you.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The look of being star struck made the girl behind them both burst out laughing as her own date dragged her back to the dance floor to give the couple some privacy, Vanessa quickly pulling Isaac close as she whispered jokingly, “I probably should have started you off with a slow song first.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe,” Isaac shrugged, a smile playing on his lips as he whispered back with pink cheeks and soft eyes, “But I enjoyed it anyway.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Good.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**And I'd give up forever to touch you,**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**'Cause I know that you feel me somehow.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**And I don't want to go home right now.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two swayed together, Vanessa’s head resting against his chest as his heartbeat thrummed slow and steady, the lyrics of the song playing in the background ringing truer to them than they had ever been before. Especially to Isaac, who tightened his hold on the precious girl in his arms as he pressed a featherlight kiss into her hair that he didn’t think she would feel, but she ultimately did. Because any kiss from Isaac Lahey would be felt to her very core as the chorus sang the story of their lives. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**And I don't want the world to see me,**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**'Cause I don't think that they'd understand,**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**When everything's meant to be broken,**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I just want you to know who I am.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She lifted her head to look at him and found him already staring down at her, eyes darting from her lips to her eyes as if he couldn’t choose what captured him the most. She made the choice for him as her hands slid to the back of his neck and she brought his lips down on top of hers, the world falling away behind them as they closed their eyes and wished to never open them again unless it was the other person, and only them, that they could see. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She couldn’t begin to describe how it felt to be kissed by Isaac. She wished she could describe all the colors that flashed behind her eyes or they way his lips were soft against hers or that she could taste the raspberry flavored soda they drank on the way – okay, maybe she could describe that one. But nothing could describe the way she felt, the closest word to it was pure and utter rapture. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Kissing Isaac Lahey was like seeing fireworks for the first time when you were kid. Kissing Isaac Lahey was tasting sugar and the rush it gave you as you ran around until you tired yourself out. Kissing Isaac Lahey was like listening to a song for the first time and the words hitting home and sending goosebumps erupting on your flesh as chills ran down your spine like water in a river. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I just want you to know who I am.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I just want you to know who I am.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I just want you to know who I am.**

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When they pulled back for air, she heard him gasp as if the air felt different. As if the world had shifted somehow for him. For her, it didn’t change. It just got better, brighter, as if her eyes were open for the first time in forever. And all she could see was blue. Just like him. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“That was – “ 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Heaven.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His breathless wonder sent her into fits of giggles as she clung to his shirt, burying her head into his chest as his arms came around her as they continued swaying to the last notes of the song they shared their first kiss to. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The couple dancing not too far away from them were so close that their foreheads touched, and their shoulders were relaxed as they found peace for the first time that night. For the first time in a while actually, as the boy gazed down at the girl with a disbelieving smile playing on his lips. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” giggled the girl in his arms. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s just hard not to look at you,” Scott’s eyes softened as they traced her features. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison ducked her head shyly before looking up with him and murmering, “I like it when you look at me.” 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I remember this one time, I was holding you and you fell asleep in my arms,” Scott reminisced as Allison leaned her head on his shoulder, rocking slowly to the beat of _Mirrors _by Justin Timberlake, “And I was watching you and I thought, I could stay like this for hours and then you started drooling and it kind of got disgusting. And then my arm fell asleep with your head on it and pins and needles started to hurt.”__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison started laughing, grinning up at him as she shook her head, “Okay. Shut up.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sorry,” the boy whispered as he pressed her closer to him, “I just like hearing you laugh. And I kind of love your smile.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The way he said it as if he was trying to say something else made the girl pause, slowly bringing her eyes to meet his as she smiled, eyes bright and hopeful as Scott said seriously, “Allison, I need to tell you something.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl lost her smile as the boy continued, “Remember when we were talking in my room the other night?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to apologize. Stiles told me about the car accident.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s not that,” Scott shook his head, breathing in deeply as he said, “Uh, it’s about Derek and it’s about everything you were trying to tell me.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As if she had the power to sense when someone was fucking up, Vanessa O’Connor leaned back from her embrace with the boy of her dreams and looked over at Scott, who had the face of someone who thought that he was doing something right but in reality, was actually messing up a pretty good thing going on. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl in Scott’s arms shook her head, insisting that he should forget about it and that she didn’t know what she was talking about when Scott interrupted her, stating, “I do. And I believe you.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You don’t have to. I know things now……things are different. Just – Just trust me,” she pleaded, hands clenched in his suit jacket as she looked deeply into his eyes. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You weren’t wrong,” Scott insisted softly. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, I was,” Allison said, nodding her head as her eyes peering nervously over his shoulders like she didn’t want anyone overhearing their conversation, “The stuff I was saying, it was crazy, so…..” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Allison, please let me talk.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl took her hands off his shoulders, clearly not wanting to resume talking about that night and what she had now learnt. Scott saw this and cradled her face gently in both his hands, lifting it up as their eyes darted down longingly before finally stepping closer to kiss softly. They hadn’t kissed each other in what felt like years, the taste of nostalgia being swallowed up by the two star-crossed lovers. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**'Cause I don't wanna lose you now,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**I'm looking right at the other half of me.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**The vacancy that sat in my heart,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Is a space that now you hold.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Allison pulled back a bit, shaking her head, “Why did you do that?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I love you.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl laughed breathlessly, eyes wide and taking in the boy before her before drawing him back in to kiss him soundly, swallowing up that love he gave her back. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Show me how to fight for now,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Coming back into you once I figured it out,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**You were right here all along.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa nodded, smiling faintly as she watched the stars align above them and turned back to her own date who was giving her an adorably quizzical look like he didn’t know what to make of her but he was going to have fun trying to figure it out. The short brunette brought him down for another kiss, going up on her tippy toes. She felt butterflies flutter chaotically in her stomach, a feeling that filled her with bliss as she ran a hand through his hair while his hands clasped around her waist, pulling her close. Isaac drank from her lips like she was offering eternal paradise in her mouth and he never wanted to be sated by it. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**And now it's clear as this promise,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**That we're making two reflections into one.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**'Cause it's like you're my mirror,**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me.**

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl pulled back, breathing in deep as her eyes fluttered up to meet his. She almost fell to pieces when he looked back at her, deep set blue eyes wide as if he was gazing upon treasure. Little did she know, that to Isaac, Vanessa was more valuable than treasure. She was his salvation. He was her servant. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Come on,” she said breathlessly, pulling at his hands as she led him to the bottom of the bleachers, “Wait here, while I go get my purse. We’re blowing this popsicle stand.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa left him nodding to himself, to dazed to get his mouth to work as she scurried up the benches as fast as she could in her five inch wedges to get her stuff, catching sight of two teenagers running out of the gym while holding hands. Scott and Allison were so entranced with each other that she almost wanted to dump the entirety of her corn chip packet onto their heads to see if they would break out of it. Fortunately for them, she considered herself a good person and good people don’t interrupt romantic reunions for their own personal amusement. Besides, she had her own romance to indulge in as she walked back down with her eyes fixed on the boy whose own eyes never left hers. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She slipped her hand into his again before walking out of the building, the cool air blowing at her skirt and hair as she dragged the boy into a dark corner, still visible to people that would actually be trying to look for them but almost invisible to passbyers who had their own dark corners to scurry to as she leaned against the wall, pulling him close. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Is this okay?” she asked when she noticed him blinking down at her nervously. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, this is,” Isaac stammered, nodding his head as his eyes searched hers, “More than okay.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and staring up at him, “Are we going to keep talking about how okay this is, or are we going to do something about it, Lahey?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well,” the boy began before being cut off with a pair of soft lips crashing into his. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The pair continued to make out, unaware of Scott McCall’s world falling down around him as two hunters drove their jeeps towards him, his girlfriend – or his whatever because they barely had time to mash out the details and besides they were too busy with other more _important _things on their mind – when he jumped up onto the hoods to avoid being rammed. His human façade dropped, lupine head lifting to watch as Allison gasped through the window as silent tears ran down her face in horror.__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

On the lacrosse field on the other side of school, Stiles Stilinski was kneeling over the love of his life as she bled from numerous injuries while Peter Hale wiped at his bloody hands, the boy in front of him insistent that he wouldn’t leave Lydia Martin there, defenceless, wounded and alone. The Alpha made it clear that he didn’t have a choice in the matter, forcing the boy to accompany him to track down the kidnapped Derek Hale using the GPS in Scott’s phone. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But Vanessa O’Connor, oh, Vanessa O’Connor was having the time of her life as she ran her hands through Isaac Lahey’s hair as she kissed him hard, his hands grasping her tightly with the intention of never letting go anytime soon. Until they heard Jackson’s scream.

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	26. The Wolf And The Huntress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night comes to it's climax as this seasons major players face off in the front yard of a werewolf graveyard.
> 
> Because it all comes back to the Hale House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Two songs that really inspired the scene between Isaac and Vanessa in the car was 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Petrol and 'Falling for you' by Secondhand Serenade.

The two broke apart harshly, heads whipping to where they saw the boy trying to run towards the front steps with the limp body of Lydia Martin in his arms. As the students heading out began to scream, Vanessa turned to the boy next to her, breathing hard. 

“Go get help!” 

Isaac ran off without any hesitation as Vanessa headed to where Jackson was struggling with Lydia. 

“What the **fuck** happened?” she screeched, helping Jackson get the girl inside before turning to roar at the students milling about, “Everybody get the fuck out of the way before I move you myself.” 

She opened the door of the gym, where teachers were gathered with dust pans and brooms as they ushered kids out. Isaac was there already, panting as he rushed to explain they needed to call an ambulance when the two teenagers burst in with the unconscious girl. 

“Jesus Christ,” Vanessa heard Coach mutter before pulling his phone out and calling the authorities, “We have an injured student at the school – “ 

Vanessa directed Jackson to lay the girl down on the bleachers, yelling at him to give her his suit jacket so she could fold it under Lydia’s head. She then inspected the wound on her side, too bloody and ravaged to make out but deep down inside, she knew what it was. She turned to inspect the shallow scratch marks littering her arms, blood splatters covered the girl’s shoulders and neck in the shape of what looked like human fingerprints. Her stomach dropped when she realized the only person who would do this was Peter. 

“Good new, besides the one on her side, I don’t think these wounds are deep,” Vanessa whispered harshly to Jackson, who ran a hand through his hair, “I’m going to ask you again, jack _ass _. What happened?”__

____

“I don’t know,” the boy snapped, sweat dripping from his brow and breathe reeking of alcohol, “I went into the forest to get the bite, the hunters caught me and made me fess up everything I knew. Allison’s dad told me to go back into the school and Stiles caught me on the way in before rushing out again. A few minutes later I get a call from him saying that Lydia’s been hurt and to come get her. He was gone before I got there.” 

____

“Sounds like you know an _awful lot _for someone who doesn’t know anything,” the girl hissed, pulling him around the corner so that they weren’t seen arguing over Lydia’s unconscious body, “What did you tell Argent?”__

______ _ _

“He knows,” Jackson gulped, eyes flickering in regret as he continued, “He knows Scott’s a werewolf.” 

______ _ _

“ **Fuck!** ” 

______ _ _

the boy defended himself, leaning against the metal railing. Vanessa whipped around to him, beyond pissed off. 

______ _ _

“Everybody has a fucking choice, Jackson. You just chose to save your own ass.” 

______ _ _

“That’s what I do. I look out for myself,” Jackson narrowed his eyes at her, “If you’re expecting anything different than go find someone else to throw your morale expectations on, like Lahey!” 

______ _ _

“Leave him out of this,” she snarled, pushing him against the bleachers as she whispered, “This is why you’re never getting the bite.” 

______ _ _

“What?” the boy breathed, eyes wide as they looked down at her, “What do you know about the bite? Are you one of them?” 

______ _ _

“No, but I know a fuck ton more than you do. I know that you would never survive being a werewolf.” 

______ _ _

“Like your friend Scott?” Jackson snarked, leaning down and smirking, “He doesn’t even know what to do with himself. He doesn’t deserve what he got. He is a waste of the gifts that were given him, and he doesn’t even know it!” 

______ _ _

“It’s you who knows nothing!” Vanessa slammed a hand on the side of the boy’s head as she grounded out, “Being a werewolf isn’t about the power. The strength, speed, agility, enhanced abilities are all to support one thing. Being in a pack. If you can’t learn to work with a pack, you’re an omega. Do you know what happened to omegas, Jackson? They _**die** _!”__

________ _ _ _ _

She pulled back panting, glaring at him, “You might get some super speed, strength, maybe even super new brain cells if you’re lucky but none of that will mean anything if you have hunters, other wolves and everything else that goes bump in the night chasing your ass from here to Nevada!” 

________ _ _ _ _

Vanessa turned to go to Isaac before giving the boy one last piece of advice, “Find a way to work well with others. Protect the people you love. Prove to them that you are capable of caring about something other than yourself and they just might consider turning you. Start off by taking care of the girl who’s in love with you.” 

________ _ _ _ _

The brunette quickly checked on the girl in question, determining that she will be fine – at least physically until the EMT’s arrive – before snatching Isaac’s hand and yelling to Coach that they were leaving ‘ _this shit show _’, something she heard him reply to with ‘ _lucky you _’.____

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The two teenagers were silent as they exited the school and headed for the parking lot, hopping into the car and sitting in silence as they tried to process the events that occurred in the last three hours. Vanessa took a deep breath in. They were having the most amazing night of their lives and now a hundred different problems had risen in the midst of one make out session. She knew it, this only ever happened to her! Everybody else could get a little handsy with the guy they had a crush on and get away with it without something bad happening. Not her. 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Well, not her and Allison, but she didn’t know about what happened to her friend, so to Vanessa, she was the only one suffering this pain. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to study the boy beside her. He was breathing heavily too, but she also so this fear creeping in and the way his shoulders started to tense in a way she had only seen a handful of times and she realized what suddenly came to him. The night was over and this was usually the part where she would drive her date home, walk him to his door and kiss him goodnight. Except her date’s home was hell on earth, with an abusive father who would sooner give him a beating than watch them from the windows giggling. Which was why there was no way she would be driving him back home tonight. Or any night. _**Ever** _.__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl steeled herself, starting up the car and driving out onto the street headed to her house. It took a few minutes for the boy to realize where they were going and for him to speak up. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa,” he stammered out, blinking nervously at her, “My house is the other way.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re not going back there,” she replied, never taking her eyes off the road. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Vanessa – “ 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No! Please don’t make me take you back _there _! The night was finally getting good and I don’t want whatever happened to Lydia and your dad to ruin it for us. I don’t want _him _to ruin us.”____

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_To ruin you in ways that I don't even want to think about_

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nessa,” Isaac slid a hand over the one she clutched on the wheel before telling gently, “Stop the car.” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed, pulling over on the side of the road and turning to him with the intent of arguing her point across until the boy leaned over and captured her lips, hand coming up to cradle her face deeper as she kissed him back. She grasped onto the back of his neck as she made to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back before she could, leaning his forehead against hers as he breathed out heavily. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Nessa, I don’t want this night to be over either. I want nothing more than to go to your house and dance with you until the sun comes up, but I know that if my dad doesn’t come after me, he’ll send the Sheriff’s department to do it. So you’re going to take me home and you won't be thinking of what will happen when I walk through that door, you will remember that we had the best night at our winter formal and will go to sleep with a smile on your face, okay?” 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl looked up helplessly at him, at this boy who was scared to death of going back but didn’t want to drag the girl who sent him to heaven every time she touched him with her lips into his mess. She saw the determination in his eyes, the one that said he wouldn’t allow her to keep driving unless it was to take him home – if he could even call it that. And she breathed out a shuddering breathe before nodding, blinking back tears as she started the car and turned in the direction of the one place she was determined not to take him back to. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As if sensing her inner turmoil, he wrapped his hand around hers, bringing it down on his lap. She glanced at him and saw that he was pale. He was so pale, and his own eyes were glassy, but he still faced forward, resolution plain to see. He was so strong, too strong. Why couldn’t she be as strong as him? Why didn’t she just keep driving until she got them home, a real home where he wouldn’t be put through hell before he even walked through the door. Why couldn’t she be strong enough to do what was best for him? 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He pointed out the corner she had picked him up from and she slowly parked the car. Isaac made to get out when she stopped him, pulling him back and taking his face in her hands as she reared up to press her lips against his. This kiss was different. This was wet, and desperate, and scared and searching for something to reassure them both that everything was going to be okay. His hands held her arms tightly as their tears raced together before he pulled back and got out of the car without looking back, disappearing into the darkness that promised punishment for his earlier disobedience. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She couldn’t see how his breathe hitched as he walked into his house that night, his father sitting in the dimly lit kitchen clutching a bottle of Jack. And he didn’t see how she sobbed hard in her car the whole way home, tears blurring her sight as she haphazardly pulled up beside her driveway and collapsed onto the wheel. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She slammed her fist into the plastic in front of her, screaming out loud as self-loathing burnt her from the inside out. 

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_How could I let him go? How could he go back? Why, why, why, **WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY?!**_

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A chime from her phone broke her off from slamming her fist into the dashboard, sending her scrambling for the device and hoping to all the that was holy that the message was from Isaac telling her he was okay. Instead, she got two words from Stiles that sent her running into her house for her laptop. 

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**STILES: _Peter. GPS._** __

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\- 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It was thirty minutes later when she pulled up in an abandoned carpark, Stiles sweating profusely as he scrambled up from the back of his jeep. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thank God!” he exclaimed, racing towards her with his keys – bent to the point of uselessness – jangling in his hands as he hopped into the car, “I thought the text might not have been sent through to you.” 

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“Sorry, it took a while before I could hack into your computer to get your location,” Vanessa explained, eyes still red and puffy from crying in her car the whole time she was on the computer, “Where’s Peter? What happened?” 

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“He wanted me to find Derek. And I know where they are,” the boy replied, sighing as he leaned back into his seat. 

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“They?” 

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“Yeah, Scott’s apparently headed there now.” 

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“Where exactly is there?” the girl asked as they pulled out of the carpark and sped down the main street. 

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“The Hale house,” Stiles responded before turning away. 

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Vanessa’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as she studied her friend through quick glances, and she knew that he wasn’t telling her everything she needed to know. Before she could ask, he piped up with a question she knew she couldn’t avoid in favor of asking her own. 

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“Is Lydia okay?” 

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She sighed, nodding as she replied, “She’s fine. Heavy bruising on her arm, lots of blood but as far as I can tell it’s from a wound to her side. EMT’s were heading in just as I was heading out so she should be in hospital by now.” 

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She chose not to tell him about what exactly she thought the wound might be from and instead focused all her attention on him. The boy went quiet again and when she felt like there was nothing else he wanted to ask, she pounced, “I know something else happened, Stiles. Something happened with Peter before I got here. What was it?” 

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The girl stopped at a red light and waited patiently. Her best friend’s body tensed at her expectant stare, but she had already given out the ‘ _get out of jail _’ card tonight so he had no choice but to confess. She didn’t think he was going to do it until she heard him mutter something just above his breathe, lips barely moving but her ears stretching to capture the words before they could disappear in the passing of time forever.__

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“He offered me the bite.” 

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Vanessa caught herself from jerking back fast and turned forward, taking the opportunity to search his body for blood stains or fresh wounds that would tell her of her friend’s choices. Turns out she didn’t need to look because Stiles felt her glancing at him and scowled at her. 

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“I didn’t accept it, of course.” 

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She jumped, startled before turning her eyes back to the road and keeping them there, “I wouldn’t blame you, if you did. The power to be strong, to fight back. I would consider it too.” 

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He didn’t say anything, and she was content with the small information he offered. She knew her friend, knew it killed him to admit being tempted by the offer of power, power they both knew could turn even the best into their worst selves. As humans who were constantly vulnerable, dragging themselves into their friend’s new world every day was a day they were used as pawns, getaway drivers and tools. They held no real power except their wit, loyalty and their resourcefulness. So, of course they would want the power to be more than themselves. They were human after all. 

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“Head to the hospital.” 

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“What?” she didn’t think she heard him correctly. 

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“Head to the hospital, I need to check something.” 

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“Why?” 

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“ **Vanessa, _for fucks sake _, just head to the hospital. **”**__**

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The girl gaped at him before making a hard turn. She had never heard Stiles swear a day in his life. If he was swearing right now, she knew that shit just go real. She even broke speeding laws for the first time since that day she crashed into Derek and got them there in five minutes flat, something she would have been extremely proud of if they weren’t in the middle of one of the most tense situations of their life – including that night when Peter had trapped her friends in the school and left her scared shitless in the back of Stiles’ jeep. 

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The boy leaned down at her open window and told her, “Stay here. I’ll be back in a second.” 

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A second turned into five seconds, which turned into a minute, which turned into ten minutes and she was getting really fucking pissed off. They were running out of time, Peter would be catching up to Scott and Derek any minute now and the hunters – 

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The hunters were pulling back in the parking lot next to her. 

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Argent got out and looked around, Vanessa ducking down so he didn’t notice her and put more pieces of the puzzle together as he cocked his head to the two others that followed him out of the car, heading for the hospital. She peeked over her dashboard to see them go through the front doors where Jackson and Stiles were standing like two deer in headlights and she knew that they were ten times too screwed to be alive right now. She watched them, cursing her head off as Argent gestured for the two men to step forward as they grabbed the boys and dragged them out of her line of sight. 

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Vanessa gritted her teeth in frustration before getting out of the car, jogging over to the hospital still dressed in her formal wear and wedged heels. She crept in, catching sight of the Sheriff and his deputies guarding the room and went in the opposite direction when the sound of someone being pushed against a cabinet echoed down the empty hall. She took off, bursting into the room to find Argent with a fist full of Stiles’ shirt as he held the boy of the ground as Stiles rubbed it in Argent’s face that he didn’t have to lock Scott in a basement and burn his house down to prevent him from hurting people. 

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“I hate to dispel a popular rumour, Stiles, but we never did that,” the man backed off, sighing like he had to repeat the same thing over and over. 

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“Are you sure about that? Yeah, _you _mightn’t have done it but are you sure that everyone in your little organization wouldn’t take that next step?” Vanessa pondered out loud, declaring her presence as Stiles brushed off his shoulder after being thrown around by a man expertly trained in firearms.__

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“Derek said you guys had a code. I guess nobody ever breaks it,” Stiles murmured tauntingly as Argent breathed heavily, one hand clutching the flesh in between Stiles’ neck and shoulder. 

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“Because nobody has ever broken the rules before, have they Argent?” the girl pointed out sarcastically, glaring at the men that held Jackson back. 

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“Never,” Argent asserted. 

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“What if some does?” 

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“Someone like _who _?”__

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“Your sister.” 

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The man looked at Stiles and she felt herself shudder at the murderous look on his face before she stepped in to prevent him from unleashing it on her best friend. 

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“Think about it, Argent,” Vanessa said as she approached the man, “Has your sister ever toed at that little line you people put down? Has she ever pushed back hard against an order or instruction, like I don’t know, ‘ _we take them alive _’? Has she ever looked at the right and wrong and the lines blurred in front of her eyes until she just stopped questioning it? I heard a lot about your sister, and she doesn’t sound like someone who would have the patience to consider every decision as _ethically _as you do.”____

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“Don’t believe us? How about you head out to the Hale house and see for yourself?” Stiles challenged, wrenching himself free from Argent’s grip and standing beside the girl as the man considered all that they told him before inclining his head. 

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“Get the kids in the car. We’re taking a little drive.” 

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That was how Stiles, Vanessa and Jackson found themselves squeezed into the back of Argent’s car and driving into the Beacon Hills Preserve as the Hale house peeked out through the trees in the distance. It surprised the girl, Argent taking them along for the trip. God, he was such a dad. He even told Jackson to put his seatbelt on when the boy stared defiantly back at him with a raised eyebrow before the man menacingly repeated the demand. 

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It would have been funny if she wasn’t afraid of being shot. And I think that was what convinced Argent, the steadfast fear in their eyes that he was going to kill them. That their so-called reputation as hunters had made them a nightmare to the very people they aimed to protect. 

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Argent parked the car on the tree line, winding down the windows and telling the kids to stay in the car as he got out and approached the house where two males were lying on the ground, one still and the other scurrying back in fear as two females approached them. Allison didn’t look like herself, dressed in leather and armed to the teeth with arrows as she strode towards Scott with a detached look on her face. Kate came up from behind her, shooting Derek before turning her gun on Scott. 

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Both Vanessa and Stiles scrambled out of the car at that, just as Kate pushed Allison to the ground and gave the scared boy a menacing grin before Argent got there first, calling her attention as he took in the scene before him. The two teenagers crept the side of the house, motioning for the boy in the car to stay there which he didn’t seem to have any problem with. Vanessa peered around Stiles’ shoulders to watch as Argent called out his sister. 

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“I know what you did.” 

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Kate didn’t say anything, gun still trained on Scott as Argent continued, “Put the gun down.” 

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“I did what I was told to do,” the blonde woman insisted quietly, shaking her gun. 

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“No one asked you to murder innocent people,” Argent argued, eyes darting to the building beside them as his voice broke slightly, “There were children in that house, ones that were human. Look what you’re doing now! You’re holding a gun at a sixteen-year old boy with no proof he spilled human blood. We go by the code.” 

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Vanessa wanted to cheer on the man, thanking him for his morality before clutching Stiles’ shoulders tightly as Kate quirked an eyebrow at her brother, not lowering her gun. 

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Argent began to speak French and the two teenagers caught Allison muttering the words aloud. 

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“ _We hunt those who hunt us _.”__

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Vanessa had to admit, it was a hell of a code. It wasn’t overly welcoming or warm, but it did provide an ethical line to be drawn between innocent and guilty persons. If that code could save her friends from being killed, she would support the **hell** out of it. 

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Kate didn’t seem to give a _flying fuck _about the code though, as the woman turned her attention back to Scott, finger tightening on the trigger. Argent saw this and raised his own gun in response, something that stopped his sister in her tracks.__

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“Put the gun down,” he repeated, although even the two teenagers hiding around the side of the house could see his gun shaking before he pulled the trigger. All heads swung to where the bullet was now imbedded in the tree and then back at Argent, who whispered, “Before I put _you _down.”__

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Kate lowered her gun to the side, looking at her brother in quiet astonishment. Everybody around them sighed in relief until the door of the house creaked open eerily. 

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“Allison,” Argent began, voice on edge as his eyes narrowed on the door, “Get back.” 

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The blonde woman swung her gun in the direction of the house as Scott got to his feet, eyes trained on the door now wide open in front of them. Vanessa and Stiles joined the others in backing away from the building. 

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“What is it?” Allison whimpered, and Vanessa couldn’t help but grab the girl’s shoulder. She might have tried to kill her best friend, but forgiveness was key to living a healthy lifestyle. 

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The short brunette turned her attention to the house as Scott’s eyes turned gold, her best friend gravely declaring to the group, “It’s the Alpha.” 

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A dark shadow darted out of the house and the group raised their weapons, forming a circle with the two humans inside who sought out the forest around them, trying to catch a glimpse of the creature. Argent was the first to go down, his weapon flying out of his hand as a growl came from their right. Vanessa scurried over to him, checking to see if he was alright before grabbing his gun, holding it up with no idea how to use it if it came to that. 

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Allison went down next, her bow slipping from her shoulders as she let out a yelp. Scott joined her shortly after and it became quickly apparent what Peter was doing. He was taking them all out, knocking them down so they didn’t get in the way of who he was truly after. Vanessa whispered for Stiles to get down and crawl over to Allison while she lowered Argent’s gun, getting on the ground beside the man. 

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Kate spun around frantically, yelling at the Alpha to come at her when Peter appeared next to her in his human form, grabbing the hand that held her gun and redirecting it away from him as she fired off shots. The woman grunted in pain, still pulling the trigger defiantly as Peter sent his elbow down into her arm. Vanessa’s stomach heaved at the crack of bones and she emptied out the contents of her stomach next to her. The Alpha threw Kate onto the porch, the woman’s cries of pain echoing as she tried to crawl away to no avail. 

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The dark-haired girl to Vanessa’s far left leapt up, screaming out, “ **No**!” as she followed the pair who disappeared inside. 

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“ **Allie, stop!** ” Vanessa shouted, shaking the unconscious man next to her before giving up and racing in after her. She found the girl standing terrified facing the living room where Peter held her aunt by the throat. 

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“She is beautiful, Kate,” Peter stated, nails long and digging into Kate’s slender neck, “She looks a lot like you. Probably not as damaged. So, I’m going to give you a chance to save her.” 

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Vanessa approached slowly, until she came to stand next to Allison as Peter’s eyes turned glassy, burning anger spiralling into hate as he continued, “Apologize. Say that you’re sorry for decimating my family, for leaving me burned and broken for six years. Say it and I’ll let her live.” 

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He drew his fingers away from the woman’s throat to let her answer and as Allison tilted her head pleadingly, Kate whispered, “I’m sorry.” 

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Peter’s face went from anger to cold, unforgiving pleasure as his fingers pressed hard into the woman’s throat, the two girls gasping in terror before letting his nails extend into claws and ripping Kate’s neck open. Allison ran forward, choking on her horror as Vanessa collapsed against the railing behind her, breath shuddering. 

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“I don’t know about you, Allison, but that apology didn’t sound very _sincere _,” Peter murmured as he turned his attention on the dark-haired girl before two snarling werewolves appeared on both sides of her.__

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“ _ **Take Ness and run!** _” Scott growled, Allison quickly turning to help the hyperventilating girl off the ground and out the back door.__

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Vanessa breathed in the cool air as she tried to clear her mind. 

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_Breathe for me. Breathe for me. Breathe for me._

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Isaac’s voice pleaded with her inside her mind as she fisted dirt from the ground she was placed on as Allison went over to her father, trying to wake him up. 

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_Don’t let them win. Don’t let them win. Don’t let them win._

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“Dad. Dad. Dad!” her friend pleaded with the man on the ground, sobbing in frustration and grief when he didn’t reply. 

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_You’re so strong, Vanessa. The bravest person I know._

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The sounds of fighting could be heard inside, the thuds of bodies hitting the walls. Bodies that could belong to either one of her friends. Scott. Derek. Both. 

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_Don’t let them ruin this night for us._

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A loud growl ripped the air and Vanessa coughed hoarsly as tears threatened to choke her. 

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_Breathe. Breathe. Breathe for me._

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Until the only thing that choked her was resolve. She got to her knees and then onto her feet. And just as she was about to croak out to her friend to try slapping her father, Scott was thrown through the window and on the ground in front of them. And the Alpha lunged out after him, landing on all fours in the lupine form that haunted her dreams. 

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All her progress threatened to slip away as the creature approached her best friend, pulling him up by his arms and snarling at him with tear that could tear the flesh off the bone. Allison and Vanessa stared up in shock as Scott kicked out at Peter, backflipping away and sending the wolf sprawling. Peter was about to go after the boy again when the sound of Argent’s car horn beeped. All of them turned around to see Stiles and Jackson standing beside it, the former with a beaker-like jar in his hand that he ran forward with before throwing it at Peter. 

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The wolf, using his sharp reflexes, caught it. Vanessa frowned, having no clue what Stiles thought a beaker would do against an Alpha werewolf when Scott called out to Allison, diving for the bow on the ground in front of him and tossing it at the dark-haired girl. She caught it, loading it up quickly before taking her stance, arrow aimed not at the wolf, but the jar in his hand. 

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And it was as she took notice of the brown substance in the jar, that a conversation with Stiles flew back into her mind when he was telling her about that night two weeks ago when Peter had attacked them in the school. 

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_“A Molotov cocktail, she called it. Lydia is too smart to be dating that asshole when she can be setting fire to things in her spare time.”_

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A wicked grin appeared on Vanessa’s tired, red, puffy face as Allison released the bowstring and sent the arrow flying into the jar. 

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Glass pieces scattered everywhere as fire engulfed the entirety of Peter’s lupine arm, the wolf shaking frantically as he roared in pain. They all stared as the fire seemed to dull a bit before Jackson heaved back his own jar and sent it flying at the distracted wolf, this time hitting him dead centre in the chest and setting his entire body into flames. 

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Fuelled with agony and rage, the fiery wolf lunged for Allison, Scott scrambling to save the girl he loved as he jumped up and high kicked the Alpha in his face, sending Peter spinning away from them as the fire went out. The wolf’s burnt body sagged to its knees as he faded back to his human form, no longer handsome and smirking but looking down in shocked as his injuries from six years ago appeared on him once more. Peter’s ravaged throat let out a gagging sound before he fell to the ground, smoke rising off his body. 

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Everybody stared aghast, not believing what just happened as Scott breathed heavily on all fours, turning his head to the one who mattered most to him. Allison crouched down beside him slowly as he looked up at her in his wolf form, beginning to shy away before her hand went out and brought him back to look up at her. The girl stared deeply into his eyes, his golden eyes, and found the boy that told her he loved her in the middle of that dance. Found the boy who extended out a pen on the first day of school. Found the boy who ditched school on her birthday to spend the day with her in the woods. Found the boy who would die for her a million times over and kissed the hell out of him as the hair on his cheeks disappeared, his ears shrunk back from their point and gold returned to soft brown eyes that closed softly as he lost himself in the girl before him and the kiss she offered. 

______________________**__**_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The Wolf and The Huntress._

______________________**__**_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When they pulled back, Scott blinked up at her frowning as he asked softly, “Why did you do that?” 

______________________**__**_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As the firelight flickered on their faces, Allison stroked a gentle hand down his cheek as she whispered back. 

______________________**__**_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Because I love you.” 

______________________**__**_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

From beside Vanessa, Chris Argent got to his feet, icy blue eyes locked on his daughter in the arms of a werewolf and sighed. 

______________________**__**_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t _even _think about it,” the girl beside him whispered, drawing his attention as she continued, “If you ruin this moment for me, I will shoot you with your own gun.”__

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She swung the silver weapon up at him, smiling faintly as she whispered, “Let someone have their happy ending tonight, okay?” 

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded imperceptibly before his attention fixed on a figure exiting the house and approaching the corpse on the ground twenty feet away from them as he murmured back, “I might not be the one to do it.” 

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Everybody found themselves watching as Derek approached the body – that was still hanging onto life, it seemed – as the man stepped over his uncle, gazing down at him with hatred. Scott’s head swung to Allison, gazing down at the girl with regret before scrambling to his feet and running for the two Hale’s, one hand out in front of him as he exclaimed to Derek to wait. 

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You said the cure comes from the one who bit you,” the boy cried out desperately. 

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa sighed, realization rising up inside of her. She collapsed onto the ground, sticks and leaves brushing against her bare legs but not bothering her in the slightest. She knew that it was a lie. She knew he lied to her best friend and didn’t say anything. The girl on the ground didn’t move as Argent took his daughter by the shoulders and pulled her back, holding her close to him as they watched the wolves warily. And still, Vanessa did not raise her head. 

______________________**__**___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Liar. Liar. Liar. Set the wrong pants on fire._

______________________**__**_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“If you do this, I’m _**dead** _,” Scott said, breathing heavily, “Her father, her family, what am I supposed to do?”__

______________________**__**_______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She heard Peter choking out words, taunting and dangerous. She knew what he meant when he said Derek had _decided _. She knew everything and she didn’t raise her head as Scott shouted for Derek to stop, she didn’t raise her head when the man raised his claws and she didn’t raise her head when he sent them across Peter’s throat. She only raised her head to watch the rivers of blood pool out of the wound and onto the forest floor beside the sudden corpse.__

______________________**__**_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And to watch as Derek turned to them all with the glowing, red eyes of an Alpha, growling out in a voice morphed between man and wolf, “ **I’m the Alpha now **.”****

______________________**__**_________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ** _ _ ** _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The scene between Isaac and Vanessa was a scene that I both loved and hated writing. Loved because of the raw energy and tension that was featured in the scene and hated because I feel very connected to my OC - as she is constructed and influenced by my personality and my reactions upon watching Teen Wolf - and therefore I feel like her choice in letting Isaac go back home was a huge struggle for me to write. 
> 
> \- Isaac returning to his dad is something that had to happen in order to connect to the plot ( as you will see later on) but it is something that I, myself, feel like I would never allow to happen. If a friend, family or crush was insistent on returning to an abusive home environment, I would do everything in my power to prevent them from doing so. 
> 
> \- Vanessa is a character that feels really strongly about people having the ability to choose, to make their own decisions and respecting them. She might question them, fight against them but there is a point where people have to back off and let them make their own decisions. This character has a knack for knowing when she's about to cross a line and usually backing off it. Even if she thinks it's a bad idea.
> 
> \- Also anyone with any complaints about how Vanessa's reactions to the fight scene in the end were 'weak' and 'cowardly' obviously is not living in the real world where half of us would be vomitting our guts up while the rest would have been passed out by now. The fact that she's still conscious and not faint even after Peter killed Kate or Derek killing Peter is a testimony to how strong she, and the rest of the teenager characters are. 
> 
> \- Also has anyone of you smelt burning flesh? I haven't but I heard that it was the most disgusting and nauseating smell in the world. Even worse than rotting flesh. But I don't know, I heard it through the grapevine.


	27. Walking After Midnight (A Murder Song)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a blink, Vanessa's night of normality was over. Her friends were ravaged, scared, heart-broken and betrayed.
> 
> And she was tired, holding a gun and at the end of her wits.
> 
> Not a good combination for our fiery OC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The song that I felt went along greatly to the scene where Vanessa is walking back through the woods to the Hale House is 'Heavy in Your Arms' by Florence and the Machines.  
> \- This is the last chapter guys, if you want to know more about the next part to the series look at the notes at the end!

The Argents were the first to leave, Chris leading his daughter to his car before they drove off into the night. Stiles scrambled over to Scott, pulling him into the direction of the main road as Vanessa ran to catch up, stopping only to ditch her heels. It wasn’t until the main road was in sight that she stopped them. 

“You guys go ahead,” she sighed tiredly, cocking Argent’s silver pistol as she waved them off, “I’ll catch up.” 

“What?” Stiles stammered out, “What do you mean? Where are you going?” 

“Back.” 

“You can’t!” Scott cried out. 

“What do you think you’re going to do, Nessa? Go back and have a tea party with the almighty Alpha?!” 

“He’s too dangerous, Ness! If he’s willing to slaughter his own uncle, what do you think he’ll do to you?” 

“ **ENOUGH!** ” Vanessa bellowed, turning to them with wild eyes and a feral curl of her lips, “I am so sick of this shit! Don’t tell me it’s too dangerous when I’ve spent the last month and a half immersed in danger! Hell, I had my first kiss tonight! Did you know that?! I had _my first fucking kiss _and what did I have to do right after? Help stop Lydia Martin from bleeding to death! And after that? Go pick Stiles up from a fucking abandoned carpark because Peter kidnapped him! And after that, I had to go save Stiles _and _Jackson – who we just left back there by the way – from hunters.”____

_____ _

She waved the gun around wildly, “So take that too dangerous crap and shove it up your asses. Because I’m going back there and finishing this once and for all. Don’t follow me. Just go home.” 

_____ _

The boys made to argue before she trained the gun on them, “ _ **Go home.** _”__

_______ _ _ _

The girl softened a bit at their expressions of hurt and betrayal, changing her tone to pleading with them, “Guys, please. Just trust me for once. Go check on Lydia. Go check on Allison. Just please go.” 

_______ _ _ _

She sighed in relief when they nodded hesitantly, starting off towards the main road. Once they were out of sight, she headed back to the Hale house. Sticks, rocks and all sorts of things cut at her feet, rubbing at them until they were raw and bloody as she walked through the dark woods still crawling with things that could rip her to shreds but she didn’t care. Numbness ate at her bones, her heart, her soul as she walked back into the clearing just as Jackson was leaving the house, pulling down his shirt over a bleeding bite on his side. 

_______ _ _ _

He smirked when he saw her approaching, leaning in as she drew near, “Guess I didn’t need to make friends at all, did I?” 

_______ _ _ _

His pale blue eyes darted down to the firearm clutched in her hand and he grinned lazily, “You can kill him if you want. I won’t get in your way. Have fun enjoying the only piece of power you’ll ever get.” 

_______ _ _ _

Jackson chuckled like he was privy to a joke she had missed and waltzed into the woods towards the river on the other side, stripping off his shirt as he broke into a run. 

_______ _ _ _

Vanessa silently turned back to the house, making her way up the stairs without hesitation as she rose the gun up slowly. Footsteps echoed down the stairs, the owner stopping to watch her with an imperceptible look on his face as she cocked the silver pistol at him. 

_______ _ _ _

“You knew,” Derek began quietly, shoving his hands into his leather jacket, “You knew the whole time there was no cure and yet you didn’t tell him. I heard your heartbeat and it slowed down as soon as I walked over to Peter. You weren’t surprised. You weren’t shocked. And you weren’t scared.” 

_______ _ _ _

He continued making his way down the stairs towards her, the gun shaking slightly as she glared at him. 

_______ _ _ _

“You’re not going to kill me, Vanessa.” 

_______ _ _ _

She watched him for a moment, making him second-guess himself just for a second before a dry smile quirked up on her lips as she lowered the gun to her side once more and took a seat on the steps he vacated, leaning tiredly against the rotting post. 

_______ _ _ _

“No, I forgive you,” she replied nonchalantly, inspecting Argent’s pistol and making a mental note to return it to him when she had a chance. 

_______ _ _ _

Derek frowned down at her, jaw clenching as he grounded out, “You what?” 

_______ _ _ _

“I. Forgive. You,” Vanessa repeated, enunciating the words as if she was speaking with a child, “You done fuck up, sure. But everybody deserves second chances. That’s why I’m here. I’m offering you a second chance to get back in my good graces, and maybe sometime in the future, to get back in Scott’s.” 

_______ _ _ _

“Why would I want to do that?” 

_______ _ _ _

“ _Because _,” she drawled, placing the firearm on the steps beside her as she turned to him with a smile, “I know in the small time you spent around me, around him, around us all, you came to care for us just a bit.”__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

She raised her hand, fingers barely touching as Derek scoffed at her. But he couldn’t hide the slight twitch of his lips. That ghost smile of his. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Come on! This is a good offer. You have an insider who can give you information about Scott, recent cases in the police department and hospital. And not to brag or anything, but I’m also kind of a genius. Not as good as Stiles, but still pretty good.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Uh huh,” the man rolled his eyes, muttering sarcastically. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Derek,” she murmured seriously, waiting until the wolf was looking at her before continuing, “Was I disappointed when you took Peter’s power? Was I angry at you for deceiving my friends and lying to them? Yes and yes. Do I understand why? Yes. I even understand why Peter did what Peter did, to some extent.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The girl sighed with wisdom beyond her age as she stood up, crossing her arms as she explained, “There is no black and white. There’s only a murky grey that people find themselves getting lost in because they can’t stand to see the full picture. There’s people like Kate and Peter who think they do but they get so addicted to this knowledge they think they have and it consumes them, takes advantage of their dark impulses and damns them. Then there’s people like Scott and Stiles who are too good and too young, stuck in one place and spinning around, mapping out what’s known and unknown.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa stared at Derek with bright eyes and a clear mind as she said, “They’re going to go through hell trying to figure this stuff out, only accepting help from those that have less than no knowledge because they have limited themselves from seeking it out from sources less than clean of soul and mind.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“And then there’s you…..” Derek pointed out, quirking an eyebrow at her. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“And then there’s me,” she shrugged, shuffling her feet as she breathed out, “I’m not perfect. I’m a cluster fuck of anxiety and barely put together pieces of a girl that once wanted to see everything the world had to offer. To see every nook and cranny and to love it. I’m still that girl, I’ve just accepted that the world is a very dark place. And in order to love it, you have to learn to understand and accept it’s dark side if you want to enjoy the light.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“So that means?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“It means that I’m not going to judge you for every bad thing you do if I think that there’s a chance you can make up for it. If I think there’s more to you than someone dark, scary and out for power. Because I know that when you came here looking for your sister, you didn’t come hoping that she was dead. You didn’t come hoping that you would become Alpha. You came hoping to get answers and your family back. But you saw an opportunity to make yourself stronger so you could survive without them, so you could make a new family. And I understand.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“What exactly are you offering here, Nessa?” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The girl’s back was to him, so he didn’t see the victorious smile that appeared as her eyes fluttered up. It was the nickname that gave him away. That told her that she had softened him up to her, made him more agreeable. And she took advantage of that greedily. 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m offering to help you make a new pack.” 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

He jerked back, not expecting her to say that, “What? Are you saying you want to – ?“ 

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” she frowned, shaking her head when she realized what he thought she wanted, “ _No! _”__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He nodded his head slightly, eyes clearing of all shock as he replied, “Oh okay.” 

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I _meant _,” she rolled her eyes at him, moving to get Argent’s gun, “If you’re going to turn all the riff raff, I’d like to recommend a few names that I think would be beneficial for both you and them.”__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Like who?” he stepped forward with interest before she waved the gun at him, halting him in his tracks. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“First we’re going to go over the terms and conditions.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re negotiating now?” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yes, which is what happens when someone proposes something,” Vanessa shook her head at him, pressing the metal of the gun against her head in disappointment. 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, get on with it.” 

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl narrowed her eyes at his rudeness, gesturing with her gun silently. Derek sighed, raising his hands in surrender before giving her the expression of ‘ _get on with it’ _.__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa rolled her eyes before getting on with it, “First off, I need you to promise not to turn your back on this pack you’re making. You can’t just give up on them when they disappointment you or leave them alone to fend for themselves. I’m not a wolf, but I know a lot about them, and do you know what I found out?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What?” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I found out that the Alpha guides, protects and provides for his pack. The respect of the pack isn’t just born within a wolf, wolves choose their Alpha’s based on strength, power and loyalty. They don’t give unconditional loyalty for free – it has to be earned. Not just by giving them power but helping them to live long enough so that they can learn to use it.” 

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek was silent as she continued on, “Secondly, if you teach them control the way you taught Scott – fear, pain and intimidation - you won’t be teaching them control. You’ll be teaching them _fear _.”__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ _Which is the point – _“__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“ **You don’t get it!** ” she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air, “You won’t be teaching them to fear the hunters or even fear themselves! You’ll be teaching them to fear **you**. That means they won’t respect you, they won’t be loyal, and they will leave, running straight into the hunters. Because they won’t care what is out there if they don’t like what is in _here _.”__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She prodded the spot where his heart rested and grinned cheekily when he growled at her, “Thirdly, you need to loosen up. I know your primary targets – you want young Betas’, preferably in their adolescence so that they’re easier to control and they will be around longer. Well, let me tell you that if you can’t approach them in a manner that makes them comfortable around you, they won’t come to trust you either. They will rebel, go behind your back and they will inevitably sabotage your plans. It’s what we kids do.” 

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She crossed her legs as she sat back down on the step, “You don’t have to laugh or smile. Just yell less and be more understanding. Let them confide in you without fear you will beat them to a bloody pulp. That’s the only way you will ever win their loyalty and trust. Because look what fighting with Scott did to boost your bond! Absolutely _jack shit! _”__

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Fourthly,” she began, turning serious and feeling sadness weigh on her heart as she continued, “These people - my friends – have suffered enough. If I’m just going to be sending them into another form of hell by giving you their names, tell me now. Tell me if you’re going to ruin them. Tell me that you will make them feel fear until they’re cowering in the corners instead of helping them stay strong.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa got up, walking slowly over to the new Alpha as she said quietly, “Or tell me that you will keep them safe. Tell me that you will teach them control through patience and understanding. Tell me you will fight alongside them and not send them out to do your bidding. Tell me you will be the Alpha I know you have the potential of becoming!” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek cut her off as she grabbed his arm, a heavy hand landing on her wrist as he snarled in her face, red eyes glowing bright as she stared at his wolf form. Her heart thudded in her chest; hand tightened to the point she might have cut off her own circulation around the gun still in her hand but still maintained eye contact as her words hit home. Especially as she continued on, going to a place most wouldn’t dare go. 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Your mother was the Alpha before your sister, right?” she asked, his eyes widening slightly as an answer, “Eleven people died in that fire. Eleven pack members – and don’t try and tell me that the humans weren’t pack members. Pack is family and family doesn’t discriminate between species, races, genders, or even blood.” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She leaned into whisper, “With so many members, I can only assume that it was a strong pack. That meant your mother was a strong leader. Tell me, did she rule with fear? Did she threaten to hurt her family? Did she send fear up your spine? Did she break your arms to teach you control?” 

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Derek roared, letting go of her arm and sending her stumbling back. Despite being shaken from the sudden move, the girl continued, “ _ **No!** _I bet that she made sure that everyone was safe and healthy before leaving this house every day! I bet that she made you feel safe just by being around her! I _ **fucking** _bet that when it came time to teach you control, your mother used wisdom, patience and understanding to help you _ **as an Alpha should!** _”______

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man in front of her turned his back, hands slamming into the wall behind him as he breathed heavily, trying to swallow down his anger and grief that he hadn’t even gotten the chance to let out this whole time he had been back in Beacon Hills. He was now at his most vulnerable and as Vanessa rose up from where she leaned against the staircase post, she delivered her final ultimatum. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What kind of Alpha are you going to be Derek? Are you going to be like your mother?” she asked softly, placing a hand on his back as she appeared beside him with searching eyes, “Or are you going to be like _Peter _?”__

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When he finally turned to face her, his wolf form had been replaced with his human façade, except for his eyes that shone brightly at her with resolve as he asked solemnly, “Who did you have in mind?” 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vanessa smiled at him as she squeezed his arm in gratitude for understanding before something flashed behind her eyes. It was a memory, a memory from earlier that evening when she had to drop Isaac home. The look in his eyes just before he got out of the car and disappeared down his street. It was the look of someone who was breaking apart on the inside and was trying to stay strong to give her strength. He once said that she was the bravest person he knew. She disagreed. He was the brave one. And it was time that he saw that and did something about it so he could free himself from the house that was his personal hell and finally be free from that freezer, from his father and from the fear he felt everything single day of his life. 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

So, he could breathe for her like she breathed for him. 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I want you to start with a boy named Isaac Lahey.”

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Okay, that's a wrap on the backstory. Part 2 of the series is halfway done but I won't begin uploading it until three things happen.  
> 1\. I complete the part 2 and have a good head start on part 3.  
> 2\. I get a few more hits and kudos happening (a girl has to eat and my choice of dinner is some encouragement lovelies)  
> 3\. Some comments from my readers to let me know about how they hope or think the direction of the fic is going to go. I've had two people comment so far and they are beautiful and fantastic people who encouraged me enough to post the rest of this fic early. I want to thank them, but also everyone else who read it. I'm hoping that by the time you've finished it, you will have let me know how you found it!
> 
> OTHER NOTES:  
> \- Everybody might be wondering why the fuck Vanessa didn't shoot Derek or why she went back or why the boys let her or why Derek bothered to listen to her. One, she was carrying a gun. That tends to get you far in life. Two, Vanessa is a morally grey characters.  
> \- As the story progresses further, this will become more obvious to you but for some perceptive people you might see the signs early. Plus, Vanessa is also a really empathetic character who tries to see all the sides of someone before she makes harsh judgements like shooting them.  
> \- Also, some might point out that Vanessa comes across as a really selfish character with her actions in the last part. And I'm not ashamed to say that she is. Selfish, I mean. There is rarely any truly selfless people in the world and it takes a lot of restraint and kindness to sacrifice their own wants and needs for others. Vanessa - and myself, I admit - wants everything and if she thinks there's a way to get it. She will. Because she's human!  
> \- Also, for anyone who wants updates or wants to ask questions, suggestions, hints, riddles, songs that they think would contribute more to the story, please feel free to comment down below. In the meantime, I have questions of my own that need answering.  
> A) Sterek or Stydia and is anyone open to polyamorous relationships?  
> B) What Hogwarts house do you think Vanessa would be in?  
> C) Why do you think Peter didn't kill her and why do you think Derek listens to her?  
> D) Does anyone have some Isaac headcannons they want to share?  
> E) What was your favorite scene?  
> F) Does anyone have any songs or artist they would recommend for the fic?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, guys, so don't drag me. The grammer and tense is atrocious so dont bother pointing it out - i already know. This is the prologue, which is basically turning Season One of Teen Wolf into a huge backstory and you need to read it if you want to understand anything about the Original Character. 
> 
> I do not own or claim any canon materials as my own. This fic is inspired and heavily based off of the Tv Show Teen Wolf developed by Jeff Davis. The only thing i can claim as mine is the original character and the scenes that arent featured in canon but will credit them to be based, influenced and created in consideration of the events in the actual show. 
> 
> I consider fics as first drafts into creating my own works one day, and just like every first draft, feedback is appreciate ;)


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